Searching For A Place To Belong
by ButtonPusherExtraordinaire
Summary: Clark Kent has always felt different, wondering who he is and what his purpose is in life. He wants to be left alone, but the world will never stop being in danger. When the Justice League unites, Clark stays in the shadows, but he soon realizes that he won't be able to hide forever, especially from a certain Amazon. AU! SM/WW It's rated 'M' for a reason. A Superman Trilogy! DCEU!
1. Prologue

**This is a SM/WW fic. Will be based on Cavill's Superman and Gadot's Wonder Woman. Will be using ideas from DCEU and, more than likely, following its timeline. This will be an AU! I might be changing some things from the DCEU, but I'm not sure yet. We'll have to wait and see.**

 **Please, leave a review and tell me what you think about the story, whether positive or negative, I** _ **really**_ **appreciate it.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Justice League or any of the characters associated with DC Comics.**

XxXxXxXxXxX

Jor-El stared at Lara as she gave birth to their son. If they were discovered to have conceived a natural-born child, they would be sent to the Phantom Zone for their unbridled heresy. The two of them had been well aware of the risks for what they had done, but considering that their race was doomed, Jor-El knew it didn't matter. All that did matter was that his sons were safe.

He looked over to where the green-skinned baby was being taken care of by Kelex. _That_ was another crime that would send them to the Phantom Zone. Harboring an enemy, even if an innocent child, was utterly unforgivable.

The baby, J'onn had been in the House of El citadel for a little over 2 months. As soon as Jor-El had discovered that Krypton's core was collapsing, he knew that he would send J'onn with his unborn child to a world where they could blend in. Jor-El knew that J'onn would be fine because of his incredible shape-shifting abilities. The first time that he had presented the child to Lara, J'onn's dark green skin became lighter and within seconds, it had seemed as if Lara was holding a regular Kryptonian child. Jor-El was utterly fascinated and had spent the rest of that day studying the child. He knew that he couldn't take any more time because he needed to build a ship that could house both his son and J'onn.

As he built the ship, Jor-El knew that the only ones leaving in the craft would be the babies. He didn't have enough time to build a larger craft with all the technology and knowledge necessary to serve the heir to Krypton. Even if he did have enough time, Jor-El and Lara could not join the boys. They were still a part of why Krypton became the monstrosity it did. The two babies weren't; they were innocent.

Krypton wasn't.

Kryptonians were world conquers. They were so feared throughout the universe that even the likes of Darkseid were hesitant to cross them. They were very few races in all of the cosmos who could actually equal a Kryptonian in power and when those races were discovered, they were eradicated and their technology was pilfered to further Krypton's arsenal.

Many thousands of years ago, the space exploration program had been disbanded and all intergalactic travel was banned. The only times for an exception were when a planet was discovered to house a race that could equal a Kryptonian in power. The last eradication took place almost 900 years ago and there seemed to be no more races that held power comparable to Krypton.

" _Master." Kelex floated over to him, "The High Council is requesting your presence."_

 _Jor-El looked up from the hologram. "Tell the Elders I will be there shortly."_

 _Jor-El gazed upon the monstrous creature in the hologram. It had bony protrusions all over and from what he had read, could grow to be larger than a World Engine._

 _Jor-El waved away the hologram and sighed. He would need to have countermeasures in place to make sure that something like that creature never existed again._

 _He told Kelex to let Lara know where he was going. He quickly stepped out to the balcony and looked briefly at Krypton's red star. Jor-El quickly looked around and whistled._

 _H'Raka appeared before him within seconds and Jor-El climbed onto the 4-winged animal. He could have used the teleportation cell, but he has always found flying peaceful._

 _After a few minutes of flight, H'Raka landed and Jor-El hopped off. He quickly made his way to the High Council chambers._

 _The guards saw him arrive and put one fist to their chests and tapped twice._

 _Jor-El did that same. He had always found the greeting a little strange considering Kryptonians, as a species, don't even have hearts like most races, but it was a tradition._

 _The doors opened and he walked into the chamber. He saw that his oldest friend, Zod was the only other person in the room save the Elders._

" _Jor-El." Zod nodded to him._

" _Zod." He replied back with a small smile on his face._

" _General Zod and Thinker Jor-El, we have summoned you both here today because, for the first time in 900 years, an Eradication will commence." High Elder Ro-Zar stated._

 _Jor-El's eyes widened. An Eradication hadn't taken place for over a generation. He looked to his side to see Zod's reaction. His eyes were wide but not with surprise._

 _Glee._

 _Jor-El decided to mark that emotion to the honor they had just received. He didn't want to think about the alternatives._

" _This race hails from the planet, Ma'aleca'andra. The planet is made mostly of ice and they call themselves Manhunters. They have abilities that include complete control of their physiology, so they can shape-shift and become intangible. They are a threat to our people, our glorious civilization." Ro-Zar gazed at them intently, "The gravity on Ma'aleca'andra is much weaker than it is on Krypton. You will be far stronger on their planet then you would ever be here."_

 _Lor-Em took over, "The planet is located only a few galaxies away from us. We have chosen you two to command the Eradication. "_

 _Jor-El spoke up, "Why us? I'm sure there are more qualified individuals to lead this great honor."_

 _Lor-Em shook her head, "You were both created in the Genesis Chamber on the same day. You trained together and have one of the highest compatibility scores ever in our modern history. You are each 600 years old, old enough to lead the Eradication of this inferior race." Lor-Em explained._

 _Zod knelt before the Council, "It would be our deepest honor to accept the command of the Eradication of Ma'aleca'andra."_

 _Jor-El followed suit and knelt beside his friend, "I too will accept this honor of Eradication."_

 _Ro-Zar smiled, "Then you two will be off. Sometime in the next week, you will commence the Eradication. For now, gather everything you need. Nothing is off limits and Jor-El," Ro-Zar looked at him. "be sure to integrate their technology into our own." Jor-El nodded and brought his fist up to his chest and tapped twice._

 _Zod did the same and they were dismissed._

" _Jor-El, this will be glorious. Both of us have heard, were raised on the glorious conquests of Eradication, but never have I dared imagine that a race would seek to challenge us after the last Eradication." Zod put his hand on his friend's shoulder, "Together, we will bring glory to Krypton, old friend."_

 _Both men walked out on the balcony. Jor-El whistled for H'Raka and turned to Zod, "Just make sure that you plan to share the glory with me."_

 _Zod laughed, "Of course, old friend."_

 _Jor-El heard H'Raka below and smirked at Zod. He leaped off of the balcony and landed on H'Raka hundreds of feet below, swinging his legs across the back of his faithful animal companion. He looked up and saw Zod shaking his head, amusement carved into his features._

 _He flew back to his citadel. He couldn't wait to tell Lara of the honor they had just received._

 _XxXxXxXxXxX_

 _Upon entering the citadel, Lara was gazing at the hologram that he himself was viewing earlier when he found her. He saw the bony protrusions and sighed, "Lara, that is not going to happen."_

 _Lara turned to look at him, "But how do you know that, Jor?" She cradled her pregnant stomach._

 _He stared at his wife, "Because I will not that let monstrosity exist. I will have measures in place in case of the small chance that the creature does actually exist. We both knew the risks when we did this." He gestured to their unborn son._

 _Lara sighed, "I know. I'm just worried that's all." She looked at him, "Why were you requested before the Council?"_

 _Jor-El beamed, "Zod and I were given the honor of commanding the next Eradication!" He said jubilantly._

 _Lara's eyes widened, "That's wonderful, Jor! When will you begin the operation?"_

" _Next week. I will have to meet with Zod and gather all the weapons and supplies we will need to eradicate this inferior race."_

 _Lara nodded, "Where is the planet?"_

" _It is only a few galaxies away. We can use the Phantom Drive and be there instantly." Jor-El explained._

" _Just be careful, alright? I will need your help presenting our son to the council once he is born." Lara stared at him._

 _He nodded, "Of course. Our son will be magnificent. The beginning of a new era for Krypton and he will be the greatest of them all."_

 _Lara smiled. "Yes, he will be. Just promise me that something like that will not happen." She gestured to the hologram, to The Desecration Without Name._

 _Jor-El took her hands, "I promise."_

 _XxXxXxXxXxX_

 _Jor-El stood next to Zod as they overlooked the icy planet of Ma'aleca'andra. It was quite large, almost equal to Krypton's size. "Here we go." He whispered, eyes anxiously roaming the data._

 _Zod looked at him, "Yes. I will lead the siege on the planet while you stay here. Once we are finished with the Eradication, you will be teleported down to integrate their technology."_

 _Jor-El nodded. They had already gone over the plan several times._

 _Zod put his hand on Jor-El's shoulder, "To the glory of Krypton!" He shouted and all the soldiers on the ship cried out the same. Jor-El shook his head at the sight._

 _Zod had always been quite dramatic._

 _XxXxXxXxXxX_

" _How does it look from above, Jor-El?" Zod's voice echoed throughout the main corridor of the ship._

 _Jor looked at the planet below. The siege was going well. "It is going as planned. How are things below?"_

" _Well, these beings are quite adaptable. I've almost been killed several times because of their shape-shifting ability." Zod's voice was amused, "They also have telepathic and telekinetic abilities; we had to remember our training and let our breathers actually use one of its features besides the usual. That was quite a surprise. We'll have to report that interesting piece of information to the Council."_

 _Jor was surprised. The High Council was almost never wrong._

" _The Eradication is almost over. You might as well come down and begin your part, old friend."_

 _Jor's eyes sparkled, "Understood. Glory for Krypton." He said._

" _Glory for Krypton." Zod's voice was heard before Jor-El cut off communication._

 _He was already wearing his armor, so he grabbed the equipment he needed and entered the teleportation pad. He pulled a breather on and felt the oxygen of Krypton rush into his body._

 _He was ready._

 _XxXxXxXxXxX_

 _Jor-El stared at the carnage around him in complete shock. It was ubiquitous chaos. Manhunters were slain everywhere, their green skin becoming more of gray color. Jor felt sick, which was ridiculous because Kryptonians cannot feel ill. It was impossible!_

 _But he had a job to do. He quickly started the process and ignored the happenings that occurred. He was pleasantly surprised at the speed of the integration. When he was researching past integrations, former Thinkers had described the process as time-consuming. But this time, it only took a couple hours. He was also shocked at how strong he was on this planet. The High Council's description didn't do the feeling justice._

 _Once his task was completed, he packed away all the equipment and was prepared to alert the ship to teleport him back when he felt something in his mind._

 _Someone was in his mind trying to tell him something. When in training, all Kryptonians undergo telepathic resistance exercises. Every breather also was able to repel telepathic invasions but, somehow, the presence had been able to breach Jor's mind. In the Academy, he had faced much more difficult mind intrusions and was about to lash out at the presence when he had realized something._

 _The presence felt terrified and scared. It was seeking help._

 _Jor-El knew that this presence was a Manhunter._

 _He knew he should find the presence and kill it, but for some reason, he couldn't. He didn't know why that was. It might have been his curious nature as a Thinker or even some shred of morality. He would probably never know._

 _He followed the beacon that the Manhunter was sending out and, eventually, found himself standing before a dead Kryptonian body._

 _He frowned at the sight. Where was the Manhunter?_

 _He saw the body beneath the armor flicker and that's when the realization hit Jor-El._

 _Shape-shifting._

 _The Manhunter was quite smart, he would admit. Jor crouched near the body and called out, "I know who you are. Please, reveal your true form."_

 _The body was still for a few moments until dark green seeped across the skin. Jor watched in fascination as the Manhunter revealed itself. It had orange eyes and it seemed to go invisible for a moment to the normal eye, but since Kryptonians were far more evolved than most, Jor-El could see the outline of the body. The Manhunter became intangible and passed through the armor._

 _It was a female and she was holding a baby. The baby was completely fine, but the elder one was bleeding very badly. Blood was gushing out of a wound to the chest that looked like it came from a plasma rifle. Jor-El was honestly amazed that the creature was still alive._

 _He felt the presence worm it's way into his mind and Jor did not fight. Instead, he was willing to listen to the inferior being._

' _Please, save him.' The creature's soft voice echoed in his mind._

 _Jor-El's eyes darted towards the baby and he felt conflicted. He should kill both of them. He could easily crush both of them with his new-found strength._

 _He stared at them determinedly. He was going to kill them. The Manhunter just stared back, eyes beginning to glaze over. The baby stared back at him innocently._

 _Jor paused as he thought of his own son and how innocent he would be when born. He would not be tied down genetically to behave in a certain way. He would be free to choose who he wanted to be._

 _He would be glorious._

 _Would Jor be able to take that chance away from an innocent child? A child, that would be as innocent as the future Head of the House of El?_

 _Jor closed his eyes. His mind had told him that he was making an irreversible mistake, but deep down, Jor-El knew that he was making the correct decision._

 _He sat down in front of the Manhunter, "What is it you need me to do?"_

 _The presence was still in his mind and the stifling relief that was felt from her was invigorating. 'Keep him safe.'_

 _Jor looked towards the baby, "Are you it's mother?" He asked curiously. The Eradication had undoubtedly created many orphans. He was almost certain that the two Manhunters in front of him were the last of their race._

' _Yes,' The voice was weary, shaky; death was coming for her. 'his name is J'onn.' Her eyes closed briefly and then she had suddenly stared at him with an intensity that rivaled Rao's great star. 'Promise me, that you will care for him and keep him safe. Promise me! Please!'_

 _Jor-El was stunned. This mother was asking him, a Kryptonian whom had helped, been crucial in eradicating her race. She was asking him to take care of her infant son and, most likely, the last child to ever be born from the icy planet, Ma'aleca'andra._

 _Jor focused his attention on the infant J'onn. The child was looking around curiously at the world around him in awe. Jor knew what it was that he had to do._

 _He looked at the female Manhunter. "I promise." He swore._

 _The Manhunter's energy seemed to suddenly leave her and she slumped to the ground. Jor-El quickly picked up the baby and stared at the now orphan. He had no idea how he was going to keep the child safe._

' _Thank you.' The presence entered his mind one last time and then, suddenly, dispersed._

 _She was dead._

 _Jor-El held J'onn close to his chest and looked around. They were all alone. That was one less problem to worry about. He felt J'onn begin to fuss and squirm. "No, J'onn." He said softly. The child looked up at him. "Don't look. It's okay. You are okay. I promise that nothing will happen to you." Jor-El stared into the infant's orange eyes and the child seemed to at least somehow understand what he had said._

 _J'onn tucked his face into Jor's armor and, seemingly, fell asleep._

 _The Head of the House of El stayed, staring at the dead body of J'onn's mother for a few more seconds and contemplated what it was he should do. He couldn't call the teleportation pad down as the would immediately realize that he was a traitor to Krypton. So, that meant walking for a little bit to buy some more time._

 _He passed countless bodies and truly hoped that J'onn would never remember this horror. Kryptonians, as a species, remembered everything in their life. From the moment they exited the Genesis Chamber until they finally died, their mind recalled every moment. He, truly, hoped that Manhunters were not like Kryptonians in that category._

 _Upon passing a large, icy ravine, he realized that he only had a few more minutes until he would be in the sight of Zod's soldiers. J'onn would have to be hidden. He stopped and closed his eyes. He was a Thinker, designed to be one of the smartest beings in the universe. He should be able to figure out a simple solution for this simple problem._

 _After another second, Jor-El smiled. He knew exactly what he had to do._

 _XxXxXxXxXxX_

 _J'onn was thankfully still asleep when Jor-El had finally arrived in his quarters. Once he had had a plan, it was relatively simple to keep J'onn hidden and act like nothing was out of the ordinary. Zod had given him a few strange looks, but Jor swiftly began to spiel useless information about all the technology that he had discovered. The technology was nothing compared to that of Krypton, but it was quite intriguing if he was being honest._

 _Zod was completely lost and finally told Jor-El to head to his quarters and begin the final stage of integration, just as Jor knew he would._

 _He had realized that J'onn's mother must have somehow been able to get her son to be intangible for a certain amount of time. When she was in the dead Kryptonian's armor, it only had room for one person. Jor had stared down at the sleeping child and after several seconds, nestled J'onn into his armor, watching in fascination as the child became intangible and passed right through his armor. It had felt quite strange to have J'onn inside his armor and body, but he was relieved that it wasn't painful._

 _He quickly began the final part of the integration and thought about how he could keep J'onn safe. From what he had seen thus far, Manhunters could shape-shift into anyone or anything. J'onn could easily shift into a Kryptonian-looking child, and Jor-El could probably pass him off as his own son, but he had no idea how long J'onn could stay in a form._

 _It was the best solution out of the thousands he had thought of._

 _Jor finished the integration and felt disgusted. Eradications were said to be the greatest thing a Kryptonian could ever achieve in their long lifetime._

 _What an amazing lie that was._

 _What he had helped to commit wasn't glory. It was evil. How many other defenseless children had been on Ma'aleca'andra like J'onn?_

 _He had no idea because they were all slaughtered. A strange feeling had bubbled in his chest and he found that it was hard to breathe all of sudden. It was a feeling he'd never felt before. After a second, he realized what the feeling was. He had only read about it in the ancient texts but never put much thought into the emotion._

 _Guilt._

 _Jor-El was instrumental in eradicating an innocent race all for the "Glory for Krypton"._

 _Is this what his race had become?_

 _J'onn suddenly began to scream. Jor's eyes widened. He had never been more grateful that every room in all Kryptonian ships was completely soundproof._

 _He strode over and picked J'onn up. He cradled him to his chest, but the screams continued. He assumed that the infant was hungry, but he wasn't certain. He had no knowledge of Manhunter physiology. Did they require any substance to survive? When he arrived back to the citadel, he would have Kelex scan J'onn so Jor would have a better idea of what to expect._

 _Jor-El felt the ship come out of the phantom drive and felt his body return to its 'normal' state. His eyes widened. That's it! Krypton's gravity was far stronger than Ma'aleca'andra._

 _He looked at J'onn and the screams were intensifying by the second. Jor saw objects in the room begin to shake just slightly._

 _J'onn would not be able to stand the pressure bearing down on him for much longer. Jor-El had to think of something fast. He took in everything in the room at once. The integration equipment caught his eye. With one arm, he held J'onn and with the other, started sorting the equipment hoping to find something that would help the child._

 _His hand brushed a small object. It was circular and glowed yellow. Jor smiled in victory. He snatched the moliom and attached it swiftly to J'onn's chest. Immediately, a yellow force field surrounded the tiny Manhunter._

 _J'onn immediately calmed and Jor-El looked him over. His face was hard to decipher with the green skin, but Jor noticed that cracks had formed all over his body. Jor-El sighed. A second later and J'onn would have been completely crushed. Based on what he had seen from his mother, J'onn had a small healing factor. His mother should have died long before Jor found her, but her healing factor had allowed her to live a little longer to find help for her son._

 _It would take a few days for the cracks to heal and Jor wondered if J'onn's mother was watching. He had almost killed her son, but he had saved him too._

 _Considering his own healing factor, Jor-El reckoned that if he had sustained an injury similar to J'onn's cracks, that his body would be at peak efficiency in minutes._

 _Jor-El needed to know how much time he had until the ship docked. It couldn't be too much. "Windows clear." He said aloud._

 _The entire wall in front of him became crystal clear and Jor-El realized he had only a minute until they landed._

 _He quickly put all the integration equipment back and looked to J'onn. He was dead to the world. Jor sighed in relief. With J'onn asleep, his next task would be far more simple._

 _He gently pressed J'onn into his chest and watched as the infant became intangible and passed into his body. Now, came the hardest part of his ordeal._

 _Convincing Lara._

XxXxXxXxXxX

Jor came out of his mind when Lara gave one final cry of pain. Through wondered eyes, Jor watched as his son entered the world of the living and, quickly, Jor-El held his son in his arms for the first time. He gazed upon him in awe; this was his own flesh and blood. He already knew the boy's name.

Kal-El.

Once making sure that Lara was alright, he brought Kal over to J'onn and the two stared at each other. J'onn suddenly smiled and reached toward Kal.

Jor stepped closer and watched as J'onn touched Kal on the face. J'onn laughed in delight and ran his green hands all over his new brother's small face.

He yearned to be stuck in this moment forever, but he had to initiate the plan for the Codex. It was the key to the survival of Krypton! It was the countermeasure!

Lara's healing factor was sufficient and she walked over to him, "Go. I'll get everything ready." She stared at him solemnly.

Jor-El nodded and leaned forward until their foreheads were pressed gently together. "It will be okay. The plan will work." He whispered.

"I know." Lara smiled, "Now, go convince the Council to give you control of the Codex."

Jor handed Kal over to his wife and watched as mother and son gazed upon each other for the first time.

He stood for a few more seconds and then strode to the balcony. He whistled and H'Raka appeared below.

Now, came the hardest part. It was time for Krypton to live again.

XxXxXxXxXxX

 _Smallville, Kansas 1985_

Jonathan and Martha Kent made there way back to their home, driving down old dirt roads. They had just seen a fertility doctor and had been told the devastating news.

Martha was infertile.

The two had been married for 5 years and had been trying to have a child for over half that time. They were completely silent in the car.

Martha stared out the window, at the passing wheat fields. She felt _broken_. All her life the _one_ thing that she had wanted to be was a mother to beautiful children. Adoption wasn't an option because no adoption agency would ever give a child to a couple of poor farmers.

Tear streaks were visible on her cheeks and her eyes were rimmed red. She looked at her husband out of the corner of her wet eyes. Jonathan had his eyes focused on the road, one hand on the wheel and the other resting on the windowsill. He would have been _such_ a good father, but he would never be one because Martha was broken. She was a poor wife.

She couldn't look at her husband anymore without the thought of being a failure, so she looked back out the window.

She blinked. A meteor was blazing through the sky towards the field they were passing. "Jonathan, stop!" She cried out.

He slammed on the brakes and looked at her incredulously, "What is it?"

She pointed out the window, "Look!"

Jonathan looked to where she pointed, "Oh _shit!"_ He cried and put the car in reverse, billows of dust rising from the dirt road.

Martha noticed that it wasn't a meteor. If she wasn't mistaken, it seemed to be a _ship_.

Her husband suddenly slammed the truck to a halt and with bated breath, they watched and heard the _thing_ pass over their car, slamming into the field across from them, shaking the earth.

Jonathan and Martha gripped the armrests as the truck almost flipped over. Dust was swirling in the air and when husband and wife got out of the truck, they put parts of their shirts over their mouths to keep from inhaling the dirt.

"Was it just me or did that look like a ship?" Jonathan's voice was filled with disbelief.

Martha shook her head, "It was a ship." She whispered.

They began crossing over into the disturbed field when Martha put her hand on her husband's arm, "Do you think that anyone was killed?"

"I doubt it. No one would be harvesting wheat at this time of year, so I would say that the field was empty." Jonathan's confidence steeled Martha's nerves and they walked closer until they saw the beginnings of a crater. It was only about 10 feet deep, but still quite large.

Inside of it was a spaceship.

"Do you think this is a test gone wrong by the government?" She asked quietly.

Jonathan shook his head, "No. The way that thing looks is definitely not of this world. I could have all the time in the world - and so could the smartest people to ever live - and we would _still not_ be able to make anything _close to that thing."_

"What do we do?" Martha was staring into the smoking crater. The ship didn't even have a scratch on it. She squinted towards it and noticed that a part of the metal seemingly turned invisible.

"I guess we should call the government." Her husband frowned. "They would _definitely_ want to cover something like this up. This is like Watergate all over again." He muttered, rubbing his face in weariness.

Martha was no longer listening to him. She was listening to the sound that was echoing from within the ship.

It sounded like a baby.

She crouched down and lowered herself into the crater. She dimly heard her husband calling her name, but she paid it no mind. Martha quickly walked to where the opening was and peeked inside. Her jaw dropped.

There were two babies.

One looked completely human with pitch black hair, while the other had green skin and orange eyes.

She stood frozen at the sight before her. Jonathan slowly came next to her and upon viewing the two babies, swiftly pulled her away.

Martha came back to herself and fought away from his grip. "Did _you see?_ There are _babies in there!_ They _need_ help!" She said urgently. After several seconds, she finally maneuvered herself out of her husband's grip and stumbled forward to the opening of the craft. "Hi, there." She whispered, staring at them in awe.

The two alien babies stared at her curiously. She slowly placed her index finger within reach and the human looking baby reached out and grasped it.

 _Crack!_

Martha's eyes widened in pain and her mouth opened in a soundless scream. The baby had just _broken her finger!_ Jonathan, whom was standing right next to her and had witnessed the entire thing, tried to pull her away again.

He wasn't able to.

The human-looking child still held her index finger in his hand, staring up at them with the bluest eyes they had ever seen. They were in awe of the innocence within them, shining in their brilliant cerulean depths.

Martha growled out, "Honey, _stop!"_

Jonathan looked outraged, "No! Are you _insane?"_

"Just _trust me!"_ She hissed, beginning to grow angry at her husband's wariness.

She turned back to the tube and reached out her other hand slowly. This time, the green one took ahold of it. His grip was _nowhere_ near as strong as the other one, but definitely stronger than what was possible for _anyone_ but a physically-fit human adult.

The green one was staring at her and, before their eyes, he _changed._

His green skin seemingly became white and his eyes green. All of a sudden, he looked like a human baby.

Both Martha and Jonathan looked at both of them in shock. The government would _kill_ to have either of them to use _or study_. A plan had begun to form in Martha's mind.

She turned to look towards her husband but found it impossible because both boys had her fingers in a vice. She settled for speaking without looking at him, "This is _perfect!_ Like a gift from God!" She breathed out, "We can't have kids and these two _just fall into our lap_. Human or not, these two are _innocent_. You _know_ what the government would do if they got their hands on them." Martha knew if none of the previous things she mentioned would sway his mind, the last one would.

She was right, "Okay." Jonathan sighed, "Since, apparently, one can look like whoever he wants to and the other already looks just like us, we could probably pass them off as our own. People will ask questions, though." He pointed out tiredly, shuffling closer to view the babies.

Martha felt him place his hand on her shoulder and she smiled, continuing to look at the two babies, "Winter will arrive in two months. As a result, we won't see _anyone_ for a few months then. Once the winter is over, we could say that I finally became pregnant and gave birth to them in the winter. We could pass them off as fraternal twins."

"But the green one looks older. The other one almost looks like a newborn."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there, Jonathan." Martha already felt love beginning to bloom in her heart for these two alien babies.

"What will we name them." Jonathan's voice broke through her thoughts.

Martha pursed her lips. They, surely, already had names from wherever they came from, but-

' _J'onn.'_

Martha jumped and tried to turn to look at her husband. "Did you hear _that?_ " She exclaimed.

He was staring at the pod wide-eyed and Martha looked to where her husband was staring.

The one who had changed into a human was staring at them intently and his eyes were glowing. ' _J'onn.'_

There it was again! It was coming from within her mind. He was communicating with them!

"Is your name J'onn?" She looked at the green-eyed child and he let go of her finger. Martha cradled her one finger to her chest and wished the other one would let go. Her finger was probably crushed beyond repair.

' _J'onn'_ The voice whispered in her mind again. It was clearly coming from the green-eyed child.

"Hello, J'onn." She smiled kindly.

J'onn seemed to almost grin back. He twisted and tapped his hand on the other baby's arm.

The blue-eyed child's face snapped to J'onn's far faster than humanly possible. For a newborn-looking baby, it was unimaginable, _inconceivable_.

They, somehow, seemed to communicate and Martha assumed that J'onn was speaking in the other child's mind.

All of a sudden, her other index finger was released and Martha sighed loudly in relief. There was no feeling in the finger and it was completely crushed. Martha doubted that it would salvageable. They'd probably have to amputate it. It was a good thing that she was left-handed.

Jonathan swore loudly, "Martha, this is _crazy!_ These two are _clearly aliens_ and far more _powerful than anyone on this planet even as babies!_ Can you imagine what they will be like when they _are older?"_ Jonathan looked at her finger, "That might need to be _amputated!"_

"I'm aware, but it is a small price to pay for the chance to raise children." She smiled at the babies. "Come look at them, Jonathan. You see aliens with powers far beyond our understanding, but I see something _beautiful."_ She smiled lovingly towards her husband, "Just _look at them."_ She said softly.

Jonathan shook his head but did as she asked. His face grew less stern the longer he stared at the babies and Martha knew that he was hooked. He may act tough but, underneath, her husband was a teddy bear.

"Alright." He looked at her, "Let's do it." He chuckled and walked away.

"Where are you going?" Martha yelled.

Her husband didn't even turn around when he answered, "To get the truck."

She laughed. She wouldn't have thought of that. She gazed at the two alien babies and smiled softly.

Now, they could finally have kids and be a _true family._

XxXxXxXxXxX

 **Well, that's all for chapter one! I really hope you enjoyed it. Please, leave a review and tell me what you thought!**

 ****In case you didn't understand the Eradication conquests, here: the Kryptonians were hailed as powerful beings and they didn't like others who were more powerful or** _ **as**_ **powerful as themselves. So, they invaded planets and slaughtered off** _ **every last one**_ **of the 'inferior' races. It's pretty bloody and sad, but it makes sense based on human nature. In comics, to me, it seems like the Kryptonians were based on what humans would be like, as a species, in several millennia or so. Taking this into context, think about Adolf Hitler. He thought only people of his choosing should be living on Earth. They were the so-called 'Master Race'. Kryptonians, if they're based on humans, would** _ **undoubtedly**_ **have some of the same types of atrocities in their history as humans do, but Krypton's is** _ **much**_ **worse and horrifying.**

 ****After Kal-El was born, everything that happened in** _ **Man of Steel**_ **happened except that J'onn was inside the ship with Kal. So, Zod still killed Jor-El and was, subsequently, sent to the Phantom Zone with his loyalists and then, Krypton still exploded…**

 ****I'm sorry if it seemed as if Jonathan came across as** _ **un-Jonathan**_ **. I wanted one of the Kents to be realistic about the consequences of their actions. Based off** _ **Man of Steel**_ **, they seemed to raise Kal to be fearful of the government, which was understandable, so I wanted to show the roots of that.**

 ****I am changing Martian Manhunter, J'onn's origin and abilities. I didn't want an exact copy of Superman and I was never a fan of how such a powerful race, the Martians was living so close to Earth. So, I changed it up.**

 **I hope you all liked it. Tell me what you think and leave a review.** _ **Please,**_ **pray for the victims of the Las Vegas shooting.**

 _ **Stay safe  
**_ **ButtonPusher**


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Justice League or any of the characters associated with DC Comics.**

XxXxXxXxXxX

Clark Kent looked at his brother. It was ironic. For their 17 years of life, they had always felt alone but now, they were more alone than ever before; their parents killed by a tornado that Clark could have _easily_ saved them from.

Their father had stopped him.

All it took was a single hand being raised and Clark knew that both of his parents didn't want him or J'onn exposing their powers to the world. He remembered every moment of his life, including being put into the ship that had brought he and J'onn to Earth, but he wished, so _desperately,_ that he could forget the moment that he watched their parents' bodies pulled into the tornado and the sounds of their bodies crashing into the ground hundreds of yards away. He had easily been able to see _through_ the tornado, unable to look away as the bodies of Jonathan and Martha Kent went flying through the air and smash into the unforgiving earth.

He could no longer hear their heartbeats anymore.

He remembered looking at his brother in devastation, and saw the tears streaming out of J'onn's eyes; his brother no longer felt their parents' presence with his mind. In a blur of emotion, Clark had vanished, _needing_ to get away. He had had all of the power in the world to stop that tornado, but his father didn't want him to. His parents would have rather died than have Clark or J'onn reveal their powers to the world because they had believed that the world would reject them out of fear. Clark had _let_ his parents die because he trusted their judgment; they were convinced that the two brothers had to wait because the world wasn't ready.

He didn't know how long he ran, racing to erase the sounds and images of that moment. He ran around the planet countless times, never knowing what continent he was on. He had been relentless, been everywhere; there wasn't a place on Earth that he hadn't stepped during his run. Eventually, after almost a week of circling the globe, he had returned to Smallville. He had returned to his brother in time for their parents' funeral.

He had sat, unfeeling as the pastor echoed the sorrow in his own soul. He didn't respond to the town's condolences, he didn't care. All he wanted was to go back and fix the mistake that he had made.

He _needed_ his parents back, both he and J'onn did!

Eventually, everyone left and all that remained were the two children of Jonathan and Martha Kent. They were standing in front of the graves that they had erected in honor of their parents.

He wondered if J'onn blamed him. Clark would be if he were in his brother's shoes. The last conversation they had all had together was one where Clark was being completely selfish, an _asshole_ and had accused their parents of not being their real parents. He doubted he would _ever_ not feel utter guilt about that conversation. He was absolutely certain that guilt would forever poison his soul because of his actions that day.

"What do we do now?" J'onn's usual calm voice sounded broken, filled with grief.

"I don't know," Clark answered just as broken and grief-filled.

They slowly went inside the house and collapsed on the couch, refusing to look at the pictures everywhere that contained their parents. Their dog, Hank jumped onto Clark's lap and J'onn shifted into his normal form, white skin evolving into dark green, spreading across his brother's form like a blanket. Clark shook his head in sorrowful amusement. J'onn took every opportunity to shift that he could.

"You remember everything in your life." J'onn stated plainly.

Clark sighed. This was a conversation that they had had countless times. "Yes. And no, I do not remember where we come from. I know my real name is Kal. I remember two faces and you as a baby. I know we are different species, but you were on the ship with me the entire time."

The first time Clark's x-ray vision had triggered, it had been in school. Later that day, he remembered that he had noticed that J'onn had two hearts and different organs that none of the other kids had. He told J'onn what he saw and his brother told him to see if he had two hearts.

Clark had no heart. He had lungs and only a few organs which looked nothing like J'onn's or the kids in class.

That was the first time both had realized that they weren't like other kids. They had already known about their abilities, but it had never hit them, for the first time, how different they were until they saw the _physical_ evidence.

It wasn't until a few years later when their parents told them the story of how they had found them in the field. They took them both into the barn and showed them the ship they had arrived in.

Clark looked back at J'onn. His brother was reaching for the remote on the coffee table to turn the television on. "We don't want to waste power," Clark advised tiredly, not caring if J'onn listened to him or not.

J'onn snorted without any amusement, "We don't need power. I don't even think you need food at all. I, on the other hand, will be fine. I have my Oreos." He held up the bag.

Clark laughed brokenly and patted Hank, but didn't say anything. Together, the three watched the Metropolis Sharks game in silence.

XxXxXxXxXxX

 _10 Years Later..._

Kal and J'onn were in a bar drinking beer. While the alcohol didn't even do anything to either, they liked the taste. It had been a decade since their parents had died in that blasted tornado. After a few weeks of staying at the farm, they had left because the memories were _too_ raw. They had traveled all over the world learning countless languages, mostly thanks to J'onn's telepathy and Kal's almost perfect affinity for language, and searching for answers.

Who were they?

Both aliens had no leads. Ten years of wandering the world in boredom, helping people here and there when danger presented itself, and Kal and J'onn were losing hope of ever finding those answers. They had thoroughly searched the ship that had brought them to Earth and found many curious contraptions, but they didn't know how to use any of them.

Eventually, Kal decided that he wanted to go by his birth name. He would _always_ love his parents, but Clark Kent felt like it was as false as he was human. Clark Kent was supposed to be a great farmer and completely normal.

He was only one of those things.

He felt more like his true self when he went by his birth name. He was pretty envious of his brother. 'J'onn' was his birth name and he got to keep it.

"Look." J'onn tapped his shoulder and Kal looked to where his brother was pointing.

Wonder Woman was fighting a giant yellow alien with purple armor, whom was laughing in amusement while countering her blows. He was easily 10 feet tall and seemed to actually be winning the fight.

Kal opened up his mind, _"Do you think he's like us?_ "

J'onn's eyes glowed, _"I don't know. We will have to wait and see the outcome."_

Like everyone else in the bar, the two aliens watched the fight. The rest of the Justice League soon showed up and the villain held his own against them all. They heard the other customers start muttering about 'alien filth' and how they don't belong on their planet. And how Wonder Woman was so gorgeous.

Kal disagreed with the first but did _definitely_ agree with the latter.

That was why the two brothers didn't reveal themselves. The Justice League was only made of human members with the exception of Wonder Woman, whom was part human but still accepted wholeheartedly by the Earth. It also, probably, helped that she was beautiful, charming, and willing to work with the government.

The people of earth loved their heroes.

Aliens were _not_ welcome on Earth. Since Green Lantern was known by most to at least communicate with aliens, he received the most hate out of any of the members.

A big cry echoed through the room and Kal listened. ' _Yes! Man, I love me some Batman. That was a genius move, the way he did that thing!'_ Kal almost laughed. Humans were so easily impressed.

He looked at his brother. J'onn was staring at the alien on screen and Kal raised his head to watch the battle. He noticed that the alien was beginning to show signs of fatigue.

He wondered if the yellow guy was related to he or J'onn. The brute showcased strength and durability, but that seemed about it. No shape-shifting or telekinesis.

They watched as the League threw everything they had at the behemoth, but the only ones to succeed in injuring him were Wonder Woman with her strength and Green Lantern. Flash was also causing a little damage, but it took _a lot_ of consecutive strikes to injure the alien.

When the Justice League first came onto the scene about a year ago, the two brothers had looked _closely_ into each hero's background.

Batman was just a billionaire who fought crime with gadgets and had no powers, which earned much respect from both J'onn and Kal.

Flash was slightly interesting. He seemed to be a little faster than Kal himself and the brothers had thought they had finally found a lead. They were wrong. Flash was just a meta-human.

Lantern wasn't interesting, except for his ring. Both brothers had found it fascinating and would each love to have one.

Aquaman seemed to be half human, with other DNA that was nothing like a humans, yet it was. He lived in the sea and could control water and has the cool-looking trident.

Green Arrow was another billionaire with no abilities.

Then, there was _Wonder Woman_. Kal had been in awe the first time he had seen her on television. So, too, had J'onn been. She was like them! She had strength, speed, durability, endurance and, of course, she was easily the most beautiful woman Kal had ever seen. They had even went to meet her once and question her, but when they were only a few miles away, Kal had scanned her with his x-ray vision.

She had a heart and looked mostly human. Over half of her DNA looked almost as complex as Kal's, but it was not _his_ DNA. It also wasn't J'onn's DNA.

They had been devastated. They had finally thought they had found someone like them.

Aliens to the world. Unwelcome. Hated.

They were wrong.

" _Should we help them?"_ J'onn's voice echoed in his mind and Kal realized his mental shields were down. He quickly looked at the screen and saw the yellow alien holding the Flash by the throat in front of him as a shield.

The Flash looked to be on the brink of death and Kal knew the only reason that the speedster was still alive was that of his small healing factor.

Kal didn't know what to do. He could probably beat the yellow guy, but he was scared. He had helped countless people -14,739 to be exact - but this would be in front of the entire world. People would know that he existed, that an alien was living amongst them. Perhaps, they might mistake him for a meta-human.

He saw the League stop in their pursuit and stare angrily at the alien.

" _Coward!"_ Wonder Woman cried on screen, sword drawn and features drawn in anger and fear for her teammate.

" _I'm just doing what I can to survive, sweetheart."_ The alien chuckled. _"Now, one more step and I will squish the Flash like the ant he is._ " He growled.

"What are you doing? Blitz him!"

"Are you insane? Then the Flash is dead. Did you see that guy tossing around Wonder Woman? He could easily crush the Flash!"

Customers were yelling and Kal sighed. Having superhearing was a blessing and a curse. He looked at J'onn, _"I'll take care of it."_ He nodded his head to the television.

J'onn smiled at him, _"What will you do with him?"_

" _Meet up with me at the farm and we can ask him questions together."_ Kal stood up and walked through the crowd.

"Hey, buddy! Where are you going? You'll miss the best part!" He heard the man's heart thudding slowly and Kal knew that the customer was drunk.

"Bathroom. Had four beers." He answered without turning around. He quietly stepped into the disgusting bathroom and checked to make sure that it was empty. He scanned the stalls and found them all empty. He closed his eyes briefly and then took off.

The world was in slow motion. Kal ran to the center of Metropolis, where the battle was taking place. He saw the Flash lying limply in the alien's enormous hands and the League frozen in front of the sight.

Kal quickly grabbed the alien's hand and the behemoth noticed him, but Kal was too fast. He uncurled the giant fingers from the Flash's neck and wrenched the kid from death's door. The alien clearly had some sort of super speed as he then attempted to punch Kal, but he dodged and grabbed the brute's neck.

In less than a second, they had arrived at the farm.

Kal dropped the alien to the ground and watched as the brute stared at his surroundings in shock. He turned around at stared at Kal, "Who are you?" He growled. His voice was a booming baritone.

Kal shrugged, "I'm, Joe. May I ask to whom I am speaking with? I would be much obliged. So, if you please, what is your name?" He asked politely, stalling until J'onn arrived.

The being smirked, "It will be the last thing you ever hear, boy." He cracked his neck and Kal prepared for a fight. "The name's... Mongul."

Mongul came at him with a punch to the face and Kal sidestepped and countered with a blow to Mongul's midsection, kicking the brute's legs.

Mongul's face contorted in pain. He roared and charged again even faster. He punched Kal in the stomach and then followed with an uppercut.

Kal was lifted off the ground and flew into the field.

He had actually felt that.

He smiled. He hadn't felt someone's touch that fully in years. He almost wanted to let Mongul beat him into a pancake.

Almost.

Kal licked his lips, yearning for the fight to reignite. He watched as Mongul slowly stalked into the field, taking his time. "I have to say, I'm _very_ impressed, boy." Mongul said, "Not even Wonder Woman could hit me that hard. I think you almost 'knocked the wind out me', like they say on this backwater planet."

Kal smirked, "What can I say? I work out." He flexed his arms and then blitzed forward. He pounded into Mongul's surprised face and the creature cried out in pain and rage. He countered with a kick to Kal's side and they went crashing into the dirt. Kal noticed the orb on the alien's chest begin to glow and an energy blast tried to slam into his chest. Kal fired his heat vision at the blast and the two beams fought against each other, desperately trying to overpower the other until, with a roar of effort, Kal's overwhelmed Mongul's and slammed into Mongul who then went flying with a scream of pain. Kal blitzed the downed Mongul and pounded into his face until the alien finally lost consciousness.

That felt _good._ He had never been able to let loose before.

He heard J'onn's two heartbeats and soon his brother was standing next to him. "Really? Did you _have_ to knock him unconscious? Do you know how hard it is to rouse someone from a forced unconsciousness?" He asked rhetorically and he placed fingers on Mongul's head and closed his eyes.

Kal waited for several minutes as J'onn did his thing. Finally, J'onn let go and Mongul groaned and blearily opened an eye to look at them. Kal put his foot on his chest and kept him rooted. He knew his brother was holding him down telekinetically.

Mongul didn't say anything though. So Kal went first, "What are you?" He stared him in the eye.

Mongul looked slightly surprised, "I'm the ruler of Warlord." He sneered, "You should show some proper respect, boy. You are in the presence of a king!"

J'onn was unimpressed, "You are no king. You are a tyrant." He narrowed his eyes.

"And what exactly is the difference, boy," Mongul growled.

Kal knew J'onn was about to explain the actual difference so he interrupted, "I don't care if you are a king. What I meant was, what race do you claim kinship to?"

Mongul's eyes narrowed, "Why do you care, boy?" He growled.

Kal shrugged, "I'm a curious guy."

Mongul laughed, "You've got balls, kid. I'll give you that." He quieted and announced proudly, "I am from Debstam, home to the Debstamians!"

"What can you do?" J'onn answered immediately.

"What?" Mongul asked incredulously.

Kal sighed. This guy was pretty thick, "What are your abilities other than the strength, speed, durability and energy beams?"

"Why do you want to know that?"

"Just humor us." Kal smiled innocently

Mongul didn't answer so J'onn's eyes glowed and after several seconds, J'onn answered the question. "Besides those, he has teleportation, but that uses a lot of his energy."

Mongul's eyes were large, "Telepath." He breathed. He abruptly snapped his arm into Kal's leg and he fell from the abrupt blow. Mongul then turned and fiery energy beams flew towards J'onn, who raised his arms and shielded himself with his telekinesis.

Kal bulldozed Mongul deeper into the field and unleashed his heat vision. The Debstamian roared in pain and smacked Kal in the face. His head snapped to the side and they crashed into the dirt.

They both got up and stared at each other. Kal heard J'onn approaching and let Mongul know. "You're between a rock and a hard place, Mongul."

He stared back at him and Kal realized his mistake. Just as Mongul was about to teleport, he froze. His body trembled and he heard J'onn shout from behind him, "Hurry up! I can't hold him for much longer!"

Kal rushed forward and when his fist connected with Mongul's face, a small crater formed around them.

J'onn stood next to him, rubbing his temple and they stared at the brute. "What now?"

Kal sighed, "He's clearly not one of our kind. I just scanned him with my x-ray vision." He frowned, "I guess we should give him to the League. They're probably wondering what had happened in Metropolis."

J'onn nodded, "Where do you want to leave him then?"

Kal chuckled, "I know just the place. You'll just need to wipe his mind first."

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana stared out the window. The rest of her teammates were seated behind her besides Batman, who stood near her.

"So what are we going to do about this 'mysterious person'?" Hal Jordan asked the silent room.

 _That_ was a good question. She had met her match with the brute, Mongul and then, he was suddenly _gone_ after capturing Wally. The only reason that she knew that the alien didn't leave of his free will was that the blur that she and Wally had barely glimpsed.

Whomever this 'mysterious person' was, they were powerful.

"Diana and Wally are the only ones who actually saw something. The rest of us saw nothing except that yellow dude disappear." Green Arrow was twirling an arrow between his fingers.

The government was bearing down on them with questions and accusations. Diana didn't know what to do. Never before had she encountered somebody who was as strong as her. As a result, she was unprepared for this alien. She had no idea that he would be as strong and, apparently, more durable than she was.

"I've already checked all footage from the battle and the cameras picked up nothing. The civilians are fearful and the government is _demanding_ answers." Batman gruffly informed them.

"Well, I do know one thing. If I ever find who that dude was, I'm gonna thank him a ton. I would've been toast if it wasn't for him." Wally slurped his milkshake.

Diana cringed. Wally should have _never_ been caught in that monster's clutches. She had underestimated the alien and almost lost one of her teammates because of her failure.

"We have no idea if this being is friendly, Flash." Batman growled.

Wally shrugged, "I don't care, Bats. I owe that dude _my life."_

Hal spoke up, "I think the guardians would know more about this. It's very peculiar. Most alien races through the cosmos are about as strong as humans, yet this yellow guy and the dude who took the yellow guy were different." Hal frowned.

Batman nodded, "That would be desirable."

Aquaman finally interjected, "How do we know this second man is not an accomplice of the yellow man?"

Batman turned to Arthur, "We don't."

"Diana, do you have any ideas about this?" Hal looked to her.

Diana turned around to look at her friends. "I honestly don't know. This has never happened before." She admitted, feeling vulnerable as her teammates looked towards her for guidance.

She was the strongest. None of her Amazon sisters could ever compare to her, and she was the strongest among her teammates.

Hal stood up, "I'll be leaving for Oa." He announced and walked out the door.

"I have been away from Atlantis too long. Farewell, my friends." Aquaman followed Hal out, trident tapping the floor in synchronization with his footsteps.

Batman sat down in Hal's seat and stared at Flash, "Do you think this being, the 'mysterious person' is a speedster like you?"

Wally shook his head, "No, I don't think so, Bats. I couldn't get a good look at him because I was so beaten up, but I definitely know two things for certain. It was a man and he was no speedster. When any speedster runs, lightning trails their bodies, yet there was no lightning for this dude. It's just like he can move _that fast_ without the Speed Force, which I thought was _impossible_. It must be completely natural. His body can do that on it's own." He sounded awed.

"Are you sure he isn't a teleporter?" Batman questioned.

Wally laughed, "No, Bats. I _clearly_ saw the dude running. He was moving very fast for even _my eyes_ to see, but he was running."

Diana nodded, "All I saw was a blur, but the man was running for sure."

Batman frowned, "So a man that can move as fast as the Fla-

Wally looked outraged, "No way! I'm way faster than that guy!"

Batman glared at him.

Wally sighed, "It would be close." He admitted sullenly.

Batman continued, "A man that can move as fast as the Flash _and_ strong enough to kidnap this alien who was giving Diana a lot of trouble. That is a threat and we _need_ to monitor this situation _carefully._ "

Diana wanted to argue that she didn't have any trouble with Mongul, but knew it was true. She looked back out the window.

She blinked. The Alien was lying in the middle of the street.

"He's out there!" She whipped around at them and pointed to the window. She then jumped through the window and landed next to the yellow alien.

He was unconscious and bruises that were beginning to heal, littered his body.

Wally appeared next to her and he swiftly punched the alien in the face, "That's for my leg!" He cried out and then his face grimaced in pain, "Ouch! My beautiful hand!"

She heard Batman and Green Arrow arrive at the scene. "The m'an' must have gifted him to us," Batman growled.

Green Arrow shrugged, "Hey. We've got the guy. That's all that matters, Bats. Who cares how we got him?"

"Let's interrogate him as soon as possible. Diana, bring your lasso." Batman ordered and turned around to head back inside the warehouse.

Diana rolled her eyes at Batman's orders but didn't say anything. She gripped the alien by the neck and dragged him through the warehouse to the interrogation room.

Their headquarters was in an abandoned warehouse in Washington that the government had provided them with. None of them liked it, but they didn't have the technology necessary to create their own building that had impenetrable security.

She unceremoniously dropped the alien to the ground and wrapped her lasso around the beings waist. The rest of the team joined them and Batman began the interrogation.

"Wake up!" He growled.

The alien was oblivious to the world.

Diana smiled slightly and punched him in the face. She had been wanting to do that ever since she saw him lying in the street. Now, she had a viable reason to do so.

The alien's eyes snapped open and he observed his surroundings. He growled, "How did you capture me?" He demanded in his deep voice.

Diana frowned, "You were lying unconscious in the street and we found you."

The alien eye's narrowed, "You lie. I would never be knocked unconscious by the _likes of you."_ He said in disdain.

Diana growled, "It was the man who took you!"

He looked taken aback, "What are you talking about?" He hissed.

Batman took over, "What is your name?"

The alien stayed silent. Diana's lasso began to glow and she said, "The Lasso _commands_ you to tell the truth."

The alien resisted for a few seconds, surprising Diana, and then finally muttered, "Mongul."

Batman scowled, "What can you tell us about the man who took you."

Mongul growled, "I already told you _worthless_ humans that I have no idea of what you speak of!"

Diana frowned. He was telling the truth. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Mongul glanced at the Flash and smirked, "Holding _him_ in my hand and about to crush him like the insignificant worm he is."

Wally's face was pinched in anger and he zipped over and delivered ten lightning fast strikes to Mongul's face.

Mongul just laughed, "Like I said, a worm." He chuckled again.

Green Arrow finally spoke, "Why did you come to this planet."

Mongul smiled, "I wanted to see what this planet had to offer." He cracked his neck, "I was _not_ impressed."

Diana's face pinched in anger, "Yet, it was _you_ who was ultimately defeated."

Mongul laughed again, shaking the small room, "But, apparently, I wasn't beaten _by you."_

"How did you arrive on Earth?" Green Arrow asked quickly, allowing Diana to keep control of her urge to slice Mongul's head from his shoulders.

The alien grimaced, trying to keep from doing so, but ultimately succumbed to the Lasso's power, "A _small_ ship that was destroyed upon landing. Your _government_ tried to take it and I killed them, making sure to make it _quick_ _._ That's how you got word of my existence. Then, we fought."

Diana was horrified, "You are disgusting! How can you _kill_ those innocent beings?"

"When you crush an ant beneath your foot, do you feel remorse?" Mongul asked suddenly and Diana froze, as did the rest of the League, "No. Now, is this because you are inherently malevolent or because you recognize yourself as a _higher_ form of life? This is what _you,_ Wonder Woman don't understand. If we are thought of as gods by inferior races, does that _not_ mean we are gods ourselves?"

Batman cut through before Diana could answer, "Enough! This is going nowhere. There is no facility on this planet to hold him, so we'll, unfortunately, have to release him to A.R.G.U.S."

Wally turned to Batman in shock, "What?" he cried out, "We can't just let him go!"

Diana sadly turned towards her friend "He's right, Flash." Using his alias because Mongul was listening, "There is nowhere we could put him that he would not escape."

Wally's jaw clenched and in the blink of an eye, was gone from the room.

Diana sighed. Today had been a long day and she still had to prepare for her trip. The government had requested her to travel to the Arctic for some reason. She left in two weeks.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal watched and listened from across the city as the League interrogated Mongul. He already knew beforehand that they were not going to get anywhere, but he had still been curious. J'onn was sitting next to him in the bar eating a packet of Oreos - he probably ate almost a million Oreos a year. That was pretty much the only thing the two brothers spent money on. Well, besides beer and cable.

He felt his brother poke at his mind and Kal let his shields down, _"How's it going?"_

Kal mentally shrugged, _"As we expected. The only thing interesting was Mongul saying he was on the planet to see 'what this planet had to offer' and apparently Wonder Woman's lasso compels those who are caught in it to speak the truth. Also, Mongul gave a pretty legitimate argument."_ He was hateful to admit that the brute's words made _a lot_ of sense.

 _"What did he say?"_ J'onn frowned.

 _"He said, 'When you crush an ant beneath your foot, do you not feel remorse? No. Now, is this because you are inherently malevolent or because you recognize yourself as a higher form of life?"_ Kal repeated, ignoring that spiel about gods as he thought it was pretty stupid and knew his brother would think so as well.

J'onn hummed in his mind, _"That is a... unique point of view. I hate to admit it, but it does make sense; it's a legitimate contention. I'm assuming that he said that to Wonder Woman?"_

 _"Yeah, she didn't seem very impressed with it."_ Kal said. To be honest, he had spent most of the time listening to her heartbeat.

It was creepy.

Kal knew that, but he was _so_ lonely. Besides his brother, he had no one. He had never spent time with any females except his mother. Even if he had tried to have a relationship with a girl, they could _never_ be intimate or Kal would kill her.

" _You haven't put your shields back up."_ J'onn's voice literally cut through his thoughts and Kal closed his eyes. His brother had just heard everything he had thought. He reapplied his shields and went back to contemplating his life.

J'onn soon stood up and Kal did as well. Kal dropped a few dollars on the bar and the two brothers stepped outside into the night.

"You know, that was actually kind of fun," Kal said.

J'onn raised an eyebrow, "What was? Mongul?"

Kal nodded, "Yes. I was able to _actually_ let go for a little bit and see what I'm actually capable of."

J'onn tilted his head, "It did feel invigorating. I was able to use my telekinesis on a grander scale than what I've ever used before."

"It was nice," Kal whispered.

J'onn put his arm around Kal's shoulder and he barely felt it. J'onn was about 50x stronger than a human.

He would never be able to feel a human's touch. He stopped feeling their parents hugs when he was 14 years old.

That was one reason he was thankful to have a perfect memory. He could still remember the _feel_ of his mother's arms wrapping around his back and his father's proudful hand on his shoulder.

They entered an alley and Kal listened for anyone in the surrounding area before they took off.

Kal arrived before his brother and plopped himself on the couch. He heard Hank sleeping upstairs and turned on the TV, and waited for his brother.

J'onn floated in a few minutes later and waved his hand. Kal felt his body being moved slowly to the side to make room available.

His brother floated onto the couch and Kal rolled his eyes. J'onn used his telekinesis to fly and Kal was a little jealous. He could do almost anything imaginable, but he can't fly. He had tried to many times, but just created more craters.

"At the bar, I heard two military guys saying they found something in the Arctic," Kal said aloud.

"Might as well take a look then," J'onn said calmly. "I call dibs on Joe."

Kal laughed, "Fine. I'll be Barry then.

Whenever the two brothers went out into the world to find answers about who they were, they always used the same two names as their alias': Joe and Barry.

They did it as a sign of respect for their two favorite football players growing up: Joe Montana and Barry Sanders.

"When do you want to leave?" His brother asked.

Kal contemplated the question. "Probably sometime next week."

J'onn nodded, "Same plan as always."

Kal nodded back, "Yes. If we find something, you will erase all knowledge that we were there."

J'onn hummed. "We've never been to the Arctic before. We will need to bring winter clothing so we don't get cold."

Kal looked at his brother for a second. J'onn looked back and, simultaneously, they broke out in laughter.

They cannot get cold. J'onn would probably feel at home in the Arctic because of his vulnerability to fire.

"That was a good one." Kal chuckled.

J'onn smiled, "We will need winter clothing to blend in though."

Kal shook his head, "I will. You won't. You can just shape-shift."

"Jealous?" J'onn stared at him.

Kal sighed, "A little bit."

They sobered. They had done this drill over a thousand times. Always going places, helping people in need and then vanishing like smoke after a warm fire. One time, when the two brothers were working out at sea to see if there was anything alien under the ocean, an oil rig was falling apart and there were helpless workers trapped inside. When Kal had heard the frantic heartbeats of the workers, he looked at his brother. J'onn nodded and Kal swiftly jumped off the boat into the water. He arrived at the oil rig in seconds and saved the lives of all the men trapped in the rig. He had then purposely stayed on the rig while it exploded so people would assume that he had perished.

That was one of the few times in his life that he had ever felt pain. The explosion had almost knocked him unconscious. He had then met up with J'onn at a bar in a nearby town and was told that all knowledge of their presence was erased from the crew's minds.

"Do you think it will actually be something or just another dead end?" J'onn's voice was almost a whisper.

"I don't know, J'onn," Kal said softly.

They sat in silence watching the television. Kal closed his eyes and sighed, "I'm so tired." It was ridiculous because he had never felt physically tired in his life, but mental fatigue was all too real.

J'onn poked at his mind and Kal let him in, _"Me too. But we cannot give up hope. This past year so much has happened: the League formed and we just interrogated Mongul, whom had similar powers to your own. We will eventually find our answers. I know it."_ His brother's confidence brought a smile to Kal's face.

" _Thanks. I needed it."_ He projected mentally.

He felt J'onn slip out of his mind and Kal reapplied his shields. He didn't know what he would do without his brother. Probably wandering the Earth, searching for answers and being known only as a hitchhiker.

He did know one thing. He was _so_ grateful that his brother has stood by his side through thick and thin. He wasn't sure if he deserved it.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana stared at her crown. She missed her family, feeling her heart ache at the thought of them. The Amazons were all gone, slew by Ares in retribution for a crime Diana had no knowledge of. Even though she was Zeus' daughter, not even _she_ could fight Ares. He was the god of war. To fight him would give him strength and to hate him would give him breath. She wouldn't be surprised if Ares soon destroyed the Olympians and took the crown for himself.

Since entering man's world, Diana had begun to ponder her beliefs. What if the Olympians were not gods? What if they were aliens whom were masquerading as deities? Today, she had fought someone who was her equal and was _beating her_. She had never encountered someone who was like her. She knows that the Olympians are stronger than her, but not by much. After all, she was the daughter of Zeus and granddaughter of Aphrodite. Queen Hippolyta, Diana's mother, was a daughter of Aphrodite and when she had laid with Zeus, the _godly_ or alien blood mixed together to create Diana.

This Mongul was _clearly_ an alien. What if the Olympians were aliens too? What about the mysterious man who kidnapped Mongul and then returned the brute after a few hours? Was he an alien too?

Diana didn't know. Part of her didn't want to know, but a larger part of her did. She had been sheltered her whole life, the truth being withheld from her grasp for too long. She wanted the truth now.

Working with her teammates to save the world had been enlightening. So many people need help, yet many do not offer a helping hand to others in need. A few weeks after her family was destroyed, she came to man's world to start over.

Diana had been only 23 years old.

She had noticed _such_ poverty in the world and the selfishness that ruled over humans. She was determined to rectify that. She soon began helping people and that's when Batman had paid her a visit.

She had no idea how he tracked her down, still doesn't. When she entered her apartment one day after helping fix a destroyed bridge, Batman was sitting at her table.

She had frozen and then blitzed him. She had held him up by the throat against the wall, _"You have exactly ten words, ten words to tell me exactly what you are doing here. Now, if I don't like what you have to say, I will kill you."_ She growled. She let go of his throat, _"Use them wisely."_ She advised the man whom had broken into her apartment.

He had fallen to the floor, gasping for air and looked up at her. _"I'm making a team and I want you on it."_ Her curiosity was peaked. He had used _exactly_ ten words.

She didn't kill him.

Batman explained to her what his idea was and she had wholeheartedly agreed to join. It was the idea of helping people like she had already been doing with others that had appealed to her. The idea of working for the government, though, was off-putting. She had learned that Batman worked for an organization called A.R.G.U.S and its director, Amanda Waller had tasked him with creating the team. Apparently, Diana was the first person Batman had chosen to recruit.

Diana went with him to recruit the other superhumans that could make a positive difference. She was the only female. She was pretty sure that the main reason Wally had joined was so that he could stare at her all day, but if that's what motivated the Flash to save the day, then Diana wasn't going to call him out on it.

It was hard though. She was always so much stronger than everyone else. If it wasn't for Mongul, she would probably think that she was strongest being in the universe, except for the Olympians.

She no longer held any faith for the gods. They had let her family be slaughtered by Ares and no punishment had been handed to her half-brother. She had prayed for guidance and had never been answered. They had abandoned her. So, in turn, she abandoned them.

Diana looked at her armor. It was all she had left of the Amazons, her people. She felt so alone. She was part human, but she sometimes felt as alien to this world as Mongul clearly was.

She glanced at the clock. Even though she could last for weeks without sleep, she decided to rest her eyes. She would have to begin preparing for the trip to the Arctic. She had no idea what could be so dire that her presence was required by the government, but she was looking forward to it. She had never been to that part of the world. She wondered if the story were all true. If it was truly all snow and ice there.

Diana closed her eyes and hoped that tomorrow wouldn't be as lonely.

XxXxXxXxXxX

 **That's all for this one. So, tell me what you think and leave a review! I would really appreciate it.**

 ****Kal and J'onn haven't joined the Justice League, which was tasked by A.R.G.U.S, specifically Amanda Waller, and are still searching for answer for their heritage.**

 ****The thing about the ants that Mongul said is a quote from Black Adam. It is very legitimate and I think it is a great quote that Mongul would use. He is one of the most dastardly, intelligent beings in DC.**

 ****I killed the Amazons off because I think, personally, that would hinder Diana's development. All the Amazons haven't been in touch with Man's World for millennia.** _ **A lot**_ **of things have changed since then. Realistically, they would never be able to adapt to that change and Diana wouldn't be as great of a hero if they were there, giving her advice** _._ **Also, tragedy, while heartbreaking, can create beautiful things. Diana now understands what true loss is and can empathize with humans and Bruce Wayne.**

 **I know that Diana is only the daughter of Zeus in the** _ **Wonder Woman**_ **movie and the comics, but I added the bit about Hippolyta being Aphrodite's child because I wanted Diana to have a little boost in terms of power. It says, in Wonder Woman's DCEU Wikia page, that Diana possesses Amokinesis, which is the innate power of love. How would Diana be able to have that from Zeus? So, I added that her grandmother on her mother's side is Aphrodite. It makes sense.**

 ****I used Wolverine's ten second speech from** _ **The Wolverine**_ **in Diana's confrontation with Batman. I just feel like it is something she would say because she was raised in a warrior society and has, undoubtedly, killed.**

 **Thank you to all those who reviewed this story. It made my day. Please, t** **ell me what you think.**

 _ **Stay Safe  
**_ **ButtonPusher**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Justice League or any of the characters associated with DC Comics.**

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana reported to the A.R.G.U.S facility on the day of her trip to the Arctic because Amanda Waller had requested to speak with her before she left. She put her eye to the retinal scanner and the gigantic titanium door opened, metal crying out against metal.

She stepped through and made her way to the director's office. After several minutes of wandering the hallways, Diana turned to the left and spoke clearly, "This is Wonder Woman,"

The secret wall moved with a screech and she entered the impressive hangar. Military planes and weapons were amassed all through the room. Diana calmly strode past the workers and ignored the lustful stares that they sent her. She wished for nothing more than to punch them through the wall, but after the first time she had done such a thing, she had almost killed the man, breaking several of his vertebrae and fracturing his neck. She had to restrain herself so an incident like that did not happen again because she was so much stronger than everyone else.

"Wonder Woman," Amanda Waller greeted when Diana entered her office.

"Director," She nodded her head.

"Please, take a seat." Waller gestured. "Would you like a drink?" The Director motioned to the alcoholic beverages that decorated the table near the wall, "I'm sure that you would find one most delectable."

"No, thank you, director. Maybe next time, though." Diana smiled politely and sat down in the offered chair.

The director began, "As you know, Wonder Woman, you have been summoned to the Arctic and your flight will leave later today." Diana nodded cordially even though that she was still upset that she couldn't just fly to the Arctic on her own. It would be so much faster and efficient! "Several years ago, some of our research scientists were studying the effects of global warming. They were almost finished with their findings, beginning to pack their equipment, when they had stumbled upon a… _foreign object_ encased in the ice."

Diana leaned forward, "Foreign object?" She questioned.

Waller stared at her, "Yes. At first, my researchers had thought that it was a Soviet submarine forgotten during the Cold War. I had agreed after reading the reports, but here was only one thing that had disproved that theory: the ice surrounding the object was ancient, over 20,000 years old."

Diana's eyes widened. She wasn't even sure the Olympians were that old, "Then what is the object? Perhaps, a… Wooly Mammoth?"

Waller frowned, "We believe that it is of alien origin. We also believe that is why the alien, Mongul came to our planet. He was searching for the object that's encased in the ice. Luckily, the Justice League was able to prevent him from doing so." Her eyes narrowed and Diana knew that the director of A.R.G.U.S was still miffed that no response had been given as to _how_ Mongul had been captured.

Diana shook her head and patted her lasso, "No, that _brute_ was under the influence of my lasso and spoke _nothing_ of what you are alluding to."

Waller snorted in disdain, "None of us truly believe in your lasso's ability, _Wonder Woman_." The director sneered the last part.

Diana clenched her jaw, "Fine, why do you need me at the Arctic?" She growled.

Waller smirked at Diana's reaction, "You are easily the most powerful member of the Justice League. We have no idea what this alien object is. If something goes wrong, then you will be able to destroy the object." The director said confidently, sipping a glass of scotch.

Diana nodded, "I understand, director."

"Good. President Luthor has ordered that this operation be kept _quiet_. Do not tell anyone what you encounter at the Arctic unless given my _direct_ permission."

Diana would love to see the arrogant Lex Luthor and Amanda Waller try to stop her from speaking of the events, but she complied with Waller's directions. "I can understand the President's concerns and I will make sure to follow your instructions."

"Get out of here, Wonder Woman. I have much more important people to speak with." She waved her hand dismissively.

Diana resisted the urge to reach out and crush that hand, "Understood." She stood up and exited the office.

Once she was out of the facility, Diana took to the skies. She really loathed that woman. The nerve!

There was one point in Waller's favor though; she was not as bad as Lex Luthor. Whenever she had, unfortunately, met with the man, he always stared at her with cold, flashing eyes. Diana always felt like he was contemplating ways to experiment on her, probably trying to determine how her abilities work. Based on the rumors that she had heard, the President probably was thinking of dissecting Diana.

She did not need thoughts of those two people in her mind, so she cleared her mind.

Diana had about an hour until her flight would take off, so she flew to the base.

She truly hoped this foreign object was nothing more than a frozen Woolly Mammoth but had a sinking feeling that it was far more than that.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal looked at the substance on his plate that the military called 'food'. He could see the germs, dirt, and all of the harmful pathogens contaminated inside the meal, poisoning a human's intestines. If he ate it, nothing would happen, but the _thought_ of actually eating the _food_ was foul enough for Kal to give it to his brother.

Apparently, J'onn loved the meal and ate his with utter enthusiasm, slurping the pale noodles between his teeth. Kal shook his head in amusement and observed the room. There was only 176 workers total for the uncovering of this object.

The first thing Kal had done when he and J'onn had arrived was use his x-ray vision to see the object in the ice.

It was an alien ship with symbols that were similar to the ship that had brought them to Earth.

When Kal had tried to look inside the ship, he realized that his vision couldn't penetrate through the alien metal. All they did know was that the ship was huge, and related to them. Both brothers were anxious to go inside the ship and it was all they could both think about.

Finally knowing the truth.

Who were they? Where do they come from? Why is there no one else like them?

It was invigorating. The thought of _finally_ having their answers after so long of seeking them.

J'onn tapped on his mind and Kal let his brother in, _"We have a problem."_ J'onn's voice was grave and Kal looked at him in confusion when Colonel Hardy entered the room.

Everything became silent for everyone except Kal. He could hear everyone's heartbeat and the blood rushing through their veins.

"Wonder Woman is tasked to arrive within the hour." The colonel was the epitome of calm but his heart was racing.

Kal groaned inwardly and opened his mind, _"Was this the problem that you meant?"_

" _Yes. Wonder Woman is here to make sure that nothing goes wrong."_ J'onn informed him solemnly.

Kal grit his teeth, _"Our job just became difficult."_

" _Indeed."_ J'onn slipped out of his mind and Kal stared at the wall. To everyone else in the room, it seemed that he was paying close attention to what the Colonel had to say, but he wasn't.

Instead, he was staring at the ship inside the 20,000-year-old-ice. He did not want Wonder Woman to become a distraction. A.R.G.U.S was a nosy organization and the fact that Wonder Woman worked for them did not bode well for he and J'onn's situation. He had a feeling that everything was about to change.

Kal closed his eyes and he focused on his hearing, his eyes quickly snapping open when he heard it.

 _Her_ heartbeat was approaching. He had heard the steady thrum of her heart enough to know that she was close to the base, only several miles away.

He had memorized every heartbeat that he'd ever heard and _none_ of them sounded like Wonder Woman's. Her heart was soothing while other's were erratic, and steady when other's were subdued.

" _We will need to handle this with care."_ Kal thought.

" _What do you suggest?"_ J'onn's voice was patient.

Kal looked at his brother, _"Instead of tomorrow, we will execute our plan tonight."_

J'onn nodded his head, _"That would be quite risky."_ He pointed out, eyes serious.

" _What other choice do we have? If Wonder Woman does interfere… then I will knock her unconscious and you will wipe her mind."_ Kal said determinedly.

J'onn took several seconds to respond, _"Alright."_

"Joe and Barry Greenhorn!" Colonel Hardy's voice echoed throughout the room.

"Yes, Colonel?"

"You two will be showing Wonder Woman to her room and around the base." The Colonel ordered sternly.

Everybody in the room froze and Kal looked to his brother who held a hand to his temples. "Should I change his mind?" He asked aloud.

Kal shook his head, "No, I think that it would beneficial to observe Wonder Woman up close."

J'onn nodded, "Good idea, but please tell me that the _only_ reason you wish for this course of action is because of her potential ability to thwart our agenda, and _not_ because you find her strikingly beautiful, wanting to be close to her."

"Shut up," Kal hissed our, teeth clenched in irritation, "She's a problem that could be catastrophic for us! We need her close to monitor her actions, deeming if she isn't an obstacle that _must be dealt with._ "

"Just as long as your _feelings_ aren't speaking for you, brother." J'onn looked at him pointedly and suddenly, everyone in the room unfroze and Colonel Hardy was gazing expectantly at them, "Understood, Colonel." His brother said calmly.

"Then, what exactly are you two dumbasses waiting for? Go outside and prepare for her arrival." Hardy pointed to the door.

The two brothers stepped out into the white snow and Kal listened to Wonder Woman's heartbeat. He focused his vision to watch her in the incoming helicopter.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana stared out of the window. The Arctic was easily one of the most beautiful places she had ever seen. The white snow sparkled under the sun's rays and Diana almost wanted to stay there forever.

"Ma'am, we will land in 60 seconds." The pilot informed her.

Diana nodded and continued to stare out at the beautiful scenery. All too soon, they landed, and she was forced to exit the helicopter.

Four men were waiting for her. One was clearly a scientist and another, a military man, the poised, subtle arrogant stance was quite obvious. The last two gave her cause to pause though.

Both were easily taller than her, and the blue-eyed man was by almost half a foot! It was rare for Diana to stumble upon humans who were taller than her six foot two height. Both men's eyes seemed ancient almost, knowledge hidden in the depths of their intriguing orbs. The two were wearing identical snow gear, and stared at her intently, eyes assessing her in a way that was reminiscent of Mongul.

"Wonder Woman, it is a pleasure to have you join us. I am Colonel Hardy and this is Dr. Emil Hamilton." The Colonel stepped forward and shook her hand. "Those two over there are Joe and Barry Greenhorn - they will be giving you a tour of the base, and then show you to your quarters."

Diana smiled, "Thank you, Colonel."

Hardy nodded and swiftly turned around. His stance was calm, but Diana could see the small shivers that were beginning to rack his frame via the frigid chill of the Arctic.

"Hello, Wonder Woman, I am Joe Greenhorn." One of the brothers stepped forward and smiled, "Do you need us to take your bag?"

Diana laughed, "No, thank you, Joe. I've got it." She looked to the other brother who was still staring at her, "And you are Barry, correct?"

"Yes." Barry said and then he smiled at her, almost making her gasp. Instead, her eyes widened. His smile was infinitely more beautiful than the scenery of the Arctic _could_ ever be.

"We will show you to your quarters, Wonder Woman." Joe said and looked amusedly towards his brother.

"Please call me Diana." She said politely.

"Diana, please follow us." Barry gestured with arm and she followed the two brothers.

Joe and Barry were silent and sometimes they looked at each other so intently, Diana almost thought they were speaking telepathically.

She could have even _sworn_ that Joe's eyes were glowing but she dismissed the thought because of the utter ridiculousness of the notion.

"So, do either of you have any idea what's inside the ice?" She asked curiously, wanting to diffuse through the somewhat awkward atmosphere.

Barry glanced at her, "No clue. I'm assuming that _that's_ why you're here."

"No. I'm here in case something goes wrong." She corrected, amused at the thought that _she_ knew what was inside the ancient ice that might be older than the Olympians!

"Well, that makes sense. Ahh. Here we are." Barry and Joe had led her to a small hut and looked at her expectantly.

Diana smiled, "Thank you." She walked up the steps and looked down to the two brothers, "Let me unpack, and in a minute, you can show me around the base." She suggested.

"Sounds good, Diana." Joe said calmly.

Diana opened the door and then shut it. The room was tiny. She quickly unpacked her bag and looked at the bed.

There was no way that she would be able to sleep in that thing.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana was right. The bed was terrible, and even though she didn't need sleep for weeks at a time, it would have been nice to be able to relax. Afire several hours of staring up at the plain, steely ceiling, she decided to go outside and see if the scenery was still as beautiful as it had been during the day.

She stepped outside and inhaled the crisp air, letting it settle in her lungs, peace bearing down on her heart. She happened to glance up at the ice, where the alien object was encased, and saw two people walking on the cliffs of the giant iceberg! Her eyes widened in shock and then she squinted, desperately trying to decipher whom would be crazy enough to be outside when it was -81.2 *F! Quickly, her vision enhanced and she saw one of the figures was floating in the air and the other would simply put his hands on the ice, and _push_. The ice would shatter into sparkling powder and the man walked easily over the hazardous terrain while the other floated.

She focused her vision even further on the two figures and her eyes widened in absolute disbelief when she _recognized them!_

It was the Greenhorn brothers.

Before she could call out to them, they vanished from her sight and Diana quickly glanced around to see if anyone else was outside to see the sight.

No one was there.

Diana narrowed her eyes and flew upward, to the spot where she had last seen the brothers. There was no sign of either of them, and she closed her eyes, focusing her ears, listening for _any_ sound except the howling wind.

She suddenly heard a strange humming sound and her eyes snapped open. She saw a soft red glow coming from hundreds of feet below and Diana immediately flew towards the ground. She saw a small crater and figured that one of the brothers dropped down from the ledge and landed there without injury.

They were strong.

Diana wished that she had her shield and sword, but all the weapons and equipment that she had with her was her bracers and her abilities. She saw a melted hole a few feet to the right, and she jumped down the hole. She fell about 50 feet and then the tunnel was ascending upward, like a staircase.

Diana ran her hand along the ice and her hand came back sopping wet. She stared as far as she could see and realized that it was only 100 meters. Suddenly, a red glow appeared, casting the icy tunnel in a dim, incandescent glow. She followed the glow, intent on questioning the Greenhorn brothers.

After several seconds of flying, the tunnel just _stopped,_ the red glow vanishing.

Diana frowned and opened her palm, focusing greatly on her power. She was Zeus' daughter, and as a result, lightning was supposed to be a part of her, but the _only_ time that she could ever remember having used her lightning was following the Amazon's slaughter.

She could _feel_ the power, remember where it was, but the power that she could grasp was only a memory. Angered, Diana opened her eyes and scratched her bracers together, creating sparks of light. She turned from side to side to see if the tunnel turned to either side, but there was no new passage.

She growled and glanced upward. There! It looked like someone jumped all the way _through_ the ice. Diana's eyes widened as she realized how _strong_ the Greenhorn brothers were. She wasn't sure that she herself could perform a feat like that.

To jump through ice, that was over 20,000 years old, so easily was incredible. Diana flared the sparks from her bracers and flew up the hole. She reached the top of the hole within seconds and she froze at the sight before her in disbelieving awe.

It was a ship.

Magnificent in size, and ancient in its bearing, the ship was unlike anything she had ever seen. She saw a path melted through the ice and flew towards it.

The ship's tomb was vast and Diana _knew_ that this ship was of alien origin. Waller do been correct, th _e insufferable_ woman.

Eventually, she stumbled upon an entrance. There was a hole above her, leading into the ship and she knew that the Greenhorn brothers must have punched their way through the alien material. She was wary of a potential fight between she and them; these small feats were eye-opening, feats that Diana was unsure if she herself could accomplish.

Diana floated through the hole and gazed upon the interior. She felt like an intruder in a sacred place that only few would ever be gifted to see. She almost turned back, but knew she had to get to the bottom of this. Waller's orders were echoing in her mind and she knew that, unfortunately, this _situation_ fell under the 'if anything goes wrong' category. Diana heard a buzzing sound behind her and the hair on the back of her neck stood erect, warning her, foreboding roaring in ears. Suddenly, she was no longer a blind painter. The power within her was _there!_ All of it was revealed, shivering to be held and _used_ , to revel in its brilliance! Diana whirled around, palms alight with _her lightning._

It was an Android infinitely more advanced than the pitiful creations that A.R.G.U.S had barely managed to scrape together. She tilted her head. It looked almost like an upside-down guitar.

The machine came closer and Diana's lightning sizzled in warning, flaring in response to the perceived threat.

The Android attacked.

It moved almost as fast Wally and the tentacle that flew out of the robot slashed her arm, making her cry out in pain and surprise. Diana looked down, and to her disbelief, a small stream of bright, red blood was running down on her arm from where she had been sliced.

Diana stared at the blood streaming out of her arm in awe. The only thing known to break through her skin was her own sword. Bullets bruised her skin and hurt like Hades, but nothing else had ever been able to draw blood. She narrowly avoided the second attack and without thought, she shot sizzling torrents of lightning at the Android.

That was a mistake.

The robot seemed to _absorb_ the blast, lightning vanishing inside the grayish matter. Suddenly, a blue light erupted out of the Android and it scanned her. ' _Celestial blood detected. Termination required.'_

The robot began to glow red and Diana's eyes widened. She quickly brought her bracers up to block the incoming blow and was wholly unprepared for the _scorching_ strike against her back.

The Android had teleported.

Her jacket was completely burned off and the skin on her back was charred, blackened by the pure heat. It was the most physical pain that she had ever felt in her life.

The Android floated towards her and Diana felt scared for only the third time in her life. The red glow appeared again and Diana frantically thought of a way that she could evade the attack. She couldn't move and blood was seeping through her injury. Her only chance of escape was to fly and just as she tried to lift her body off the ground, a tentacle wrapped around her legs _with bruising_ force, slamming her down into the floor. A Cry of pain escaped her lips and she stared at the menacing robot, beginning to accept that her time on this world was finished.

She didn't have to imagine for long.

Barry Greenhorn suddenly appeared, and grabbed the Android with his hands, and began to squeeze. Metal being crushed was heard and in a last attempt to defend itself, the robot ejected powerful streams of what Diana recognized as _her_ lightning into Barry.

He roared and with a final squeeze, the robot was destroyed. Barry swiftly kneeled next to her, looking completely unfazed. "I'm sorry about that."

Diana felt her back beginning to slowly heal and she attempted to sit up, "It was… strange." She admitted, staring at him. Who was he? Was he a child of one of the Olympians like she was? She winced as she adjusted her position and he gripped her arm, surprising her at the strength in his hand. She stared into his deep, cerulean, blue eyes and swallowed, lips dry for some reason. She finally got a good look at him, now she was feeling embarrassed. It was the first time that she had actually seen him without all the winter gear.

He was _impossibly_ handsome, looking like an Olympian descended from Mount Olympus itself to save her from enter from entering Hades' realm.

He seemed to be looking through her and brought his gaze to hers, "I know that your back is healing, but will you be alright? I can cauterize the wound for you, if you would like, Diana." He looked expectantly at her.

Diana narrowed her eyes. How did he know that she was healing? How could he cauterize her bleeding back? Unless, he could control fire. That would explain how he was able to melt through the ancient ice. She was about to ask, but she saw Joe appear next to his brother.

"She will be fine, brother. She's just shocked that the robot was so strong and able to pierce her skin." Joe smiled gently at her.

"You're aliens." She breathed.

"Yes." Barry stared at his brother.

Joe sighed and raised his hands to her temples and his eyes began to glow. Diana tried to fight back but she felt arms wrap around her body and realized that must be Barry. He was as strong as her!

The last thing she remembered was Joe's voice in her head, _"I'm sorry, but you will remember none of the events from the past hour. Farewell, Diana of Themyscira."_

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal felt Diana relax and knew J'onn had finished. He looked to his brother, "I'll return her to her room." He stood up and carried Diana in his arms.

"I'm surprised that you didn't hear her earlier." J'onn frowned, "A second later, and she would have been dead."

Kal had been surprised too. Only her scream of pain had alerted him to her presence, "The ship is messing with my senses. When I inserted the key into that slot, I couldn't see through any of the walls and my hearing was erratic. The technology in this place is simply incredible."

J'onn smiled, "That it is. We will finally be able to have our answers."

Kal smiled and looked down at the woman in his arms. She was so beautiful, breathtaking. He glanced at his brother and ran.

Within a second, he was in Diana's room and he gently placed her on the bed. He stared at her for several seconds before rushing back to find out who he was.

He would _finally_ have his answers!

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana suddenly awoke to the feel of the ground shaking and the sound of a deafening roar of power. She bolted outside and stared in shock at the foreign object, which turned out to be an alien ship, that had broken out of its tomb. The ship floated in midair for several seconds before rocketing off, disappearing from sight.

Diana knew she had no chance of catching the vessel. She looked around at all the awestruck gazes adorning the faces of all who saw this phenomenon. Fear began to settle into their expressions and Diana sighed.

This was going to be almost impossible to explain to Waller.

XxXxXxXxXxX

The ship landed in the coldest part of the Arctic and both brothers were anxious.

 _Recursive diagnostics complete. All systems are fully operational._

Kal looked over to his brother. He looked as awed as Kal himself felt. The command seat suddenly rose of its own accord and the man who they had seen earlier appeared. It was one of the two faces Kal remembered from his birth.

He stared at them, _"To see you both standing there having grown into adults… If only Lara could have witnessed this moment."_

"Who are you?" J'onn stepped forward,

" _J'onn. It relieves me so, to see you are doing well and have thrived with your abilities. To answer your question… I am your adopted father, J'onn. Or, at least a shadow of him, his consciousness. My name was Jor-El, son of Seyg-El and father to Kal-El and J'onn."_

Kal closed his eyes. His real name was Kal-El. He felt elation at finally knowing his true name. He opened his eyes to stare at Jor-El intently. He recognized parts of himself in the man's features and knew that his _father_ spoke the truth. "We have so many questions… Who are we? Where do we come from?"

" _You, my son come from Krypton, a world with a much harsher environment than Earth's and J'onn, you are kin to the Manhunters of the icy planet, Ma'aleca'andra."_ Jor-El waved his hand and liquid geo constructs encompassed the entire room. _"Kryptonians were an ancient race, feared by all throughout the universe for our power, technology, and intellect. But there were some races that sought to challenge us. Whenever such a time came, these races were eradicated and their technology was integrated into our culture."_

J'onn and Kal observed the geo constructs that were weaving a story of a race so powerful, that they were hailed as gods by almost all.

" _The Manhunters of Ma'aleca'andra were the last race to be eradicated almost 28 years ago. To my utter shame, I was instrumental in their slaughter, and for that, J'onn, I am so sorry. Kryptonians were raised on the glories of Eradication as the highest honor one can ever achieve in one's lifetime, which for us was about a millennia if living on Krypton. When I was beamed down to Ma'aleca'andra, I was horrified and in disbelief over the evil that my kin were inflicting."_ Even though the being before them had, by his own admissions, been dead for decades, the regret in his voice was real, _"I had a job to do though, and when I finished my part of the Eradication, your mother made contact with me and I followed her telepathic signal out of curiosity. When I finally found her, she was mortally wounded. She told me to look after you, J'onn, and I promised her that I would. You were only a babe, the last of your kind. I had managed to smuggle you onto Krypton and Lara fell in love with you as I did. You might not be of our blood, but you are most assuredly our son… just as much as Kal is."_

J'onn had shifted into his natural form while Jor-El shared the knowledge of Krypton, "So, I am the last of my kind?" his voice was a whisper.

" _Yes. You both are."_

"What?" Kal's jaw was slightly ajar.

Jor-El gazed at them solemnly, _"Krypton was a planet located 27.1 trillion light years from Earth. Our core became unstable and your mother and I foresaw the coming calamity and took the necessary steps to ensure the survival of you both."_

Kal and J'onn looked at each other. Both were the last of their kind. There would never be another like them in the universe. "If Krypton was so powerful, how could something like that happen?" Kal whispered.

" _We exhausted our natural resources which, inevitably, created the unstable core. Long ago… in an era of expansion, our race had spread out among the stars seeking new worlds to settle upon."_ Jor-El gestured to the ship, _"This scout ship was one of the many thousands launched into the void. We built outposts on other planets, and created gigantic machines to reshape the environments to our needs. For eons, our race flourished… accomplishing wonders never before seen."_ Jor-El was staring fondly at the constructs.

Kal stared at them too. He could see why his race was so feared. Worlds were settled upon, and races slaughtered like animals only for being comparable to Kryptonians. It was almost unthinkable, but Kal could see how arrogance had seeped its way into the hearts of his people.

"What happened?" J'onn pointed around, "If Krypton was so mighty, how could they become extinct? What happened?"

" _Artificial population was established and the outposts on space exploration were abandoned after monstrosities were born."_ Jor-El teleported to the hallway, _"Come."_

XxXxXxXxXxX

" _This is a Genesis Chamber… All Kryptonians were conceived in chambers such as this."_

Kal and J'onn stared at the chamber. They could see the tiny embryos inside and Kal gazed upon the tiny beings in awe. These babies were like him. He looked at his brother and saw that J'onn's eyes were glowing. He was trying to enter the minds of the embryos.

"I cannot enter their minds." J'onn said bewildered, fingers reaching towards the embryos in awe.

" _The Chamber is designed so no telepathic presence can interfere with the process."_ Jor-El turned to look at them, _"The artificial population control was created after mutated, Kryptonian deformities were born. They were a more evolved, savage Kryptonian and only knew hate and destruction. This was a result of our race crossbreeding with other races, and even having a Kryptonian child naturally - like you were Kal. The random mixing of genes created an unstoppable monster. The High Council decreed that none would ever again give life to a deformity so hateful to sight and memory - the desecration without name."_ The geo constructs appeared and showed the image of a thirty foot monster with bony protrusions and soulless eyes.

Jor-El turned back to the Genesis Chamber, _"Once the chambers were implemented, every child was designed to a predetermined role in our society… as a Warrior, Thinker like myself and Lara, Laborer, Artisan, and Mediator… Your mother and I believed that Krypton had lost something precious. The element of choice, of chance. What if a child dreamed of becoming something other than what society had intended for him or her?"_

Kal felt like his _father_ was speaking directly _to_ him. He was right when Jor-El turned and stared straight into his eyes. Eyes that Kal noticed weren't like his. He must have inherited his eyes from his mother.

" _What if a child aspired to be something greater? You were the embodiment of that belief, Kal. Krypton's first natural birth in thousands of years."_

"So will I become a monstrosity?" Kal asked, thinking on the mutated Kryptonians their father detailed earlier. His father's words echoed in his ears, '…and even having a Kryptonian child naturally - like you were Kal.'

" _No, you will not."_ Jor-El smiled, _"I made sure of it."_

"So, we're alone." J'onn concluded.

" _No. You have each other. You both understand the pain of loneliness and the feelings of inadequacy because of your power. You two have lived among humans for years. You understand them, which is crucial. The people of Earth are similar to us, but with you there to guide them, they will not make the same mistakes Krypton did. They will stumble, they will fall, but in time… you will help them accomplish wonders"_

Both brothers looked to each other, "The world hates and fears aliens."

" _Just as they should, but that doesn't mean that you're their enemy. You can show them the way. After all, the Justice League could use your help, my sons."_ Jor-El closed his eyes, _"Who was the female that the Service Android attacked? She seemed to be a Celestial hybrid of some sort based on the Android's readings."_

Kal raised a brow, "That was Wonder Woman. When I used my x-ray vision to check her DNA, there were strands that were almost as complex as my own. She is very powerful."

Jor-El nodded, a gleam in his eyes that seemed to portray that their father knew something that they didn't , _"She would be a suitable match for you, Kal. It seems her DNA is actually compatible with a Kryptonian's, which is incredibly rare throughout the universe."_ He stressed.

J'onn laughed, "I believe our father is correct, brother. Wouldn't you agree?" He questioned innocently.

Kal avoided answering, "So, what do we do about the embryos?" He pointed to the Genesis Chamber.

" _That decision is yours to make, my son. You alone are the heir to our race, just as J'onn is with the Manhunters. Because you are a Free Birth, you are not tied down genetically to certain obligations."_

Kal stared at the innocent embryos, "So, they can stay like that and be healthy? No complications or anything? It's okay if I keep them in the Genesis Chamber?" He saw J'onn nod in agreement with his question.

" _These embryos have been in the Genesis Chamber for over 20,000 years, my son. They will be fine. You can come to a decision on this matter at another time."_

Kal nodded. It made sense. If they had been in the chamber for thousands of years, then what were a few more years?

"Why are we so different from them?" J'onn abruptly asked. Kal snapped his gaze to their father. He wanted to know that as well.

" _You, J'onn are a Manhunter. You have complete control of your physiology and have mental abilities. Your race was hailed by the High Council as monster of ice. You also have a perilous weakness to heat and you thrive in cold weather."_

Both brothers nodded. Kal remembered the way J'onn screamed in pain the first time that Kal had showed his brother his heat vision.

" _You come from a planet that was made of ice and your kind evolved to survive. You were borne of ice, J'onn. Ma'aleca'andra's gravity was stronger than Earth's and that is why you are about 50x stronger than the peak human."_ Jor-El turned to Kal, _"You, Kal come from a planet with gravity that was over a 1,000x stronger than Earth's. Your muscles are genetically strong enough to be weighted down by Krypton's gravity. Kryptonians absorb solar energy. We needed no substance to fuel our bodies as we thrived off the energy of Rao, our super-giant red sun. We lived for many centuries and had flawless health thanks to our healing factors. Here, Earth's sun is younger and brighter than Krypton's. Your cells have drunken its radiation… strengthening your muscles, your skin, and your senses."_

Kal nodded. He had always felt a kinship with the sun. When he was younger, and helping his dad do farm work, he would often close his eyes and soak in the sunlight. He would stay in that position for hours.

"How do I show them the way? They will be terrified of me, of us." Kal gestured to himself and J'onn.

Jor-El looked at the wall beside him and a section of the wall opened, revealing an ancient looking garment, _"Hope. That's what this symbol means."_

Kal looked at the 'S' symbol on the suit.

" _The symbol of the House of El means hope. Embodied within that hope is the fundamental belief, the potential of every person to be a force for good. That is what both of you can bring them."_

Kal stared at the symbol, transfixed, eyes picking apart any discrepancies in his father's words, but there were none.

Hope.

That is what he could be. Both of them could be. Kal looked to his brother, "I like the sound of that."

J'onn was staring at the hope symbol but didn't share Kal's enjoyment. "That will be perfect for you, brother but what about me? What can you tell me about the Manhunters?" J'onn directed his question to Jor-El.

Jor-El raised his head slightly, _"The Manhunters were a peaceful race who hated fighting and strove to always end any conflicts without violence or harm."_

Kal almost laughed. That _did_ sound like J'onn. His brother was quite the mediator and usually used his telepathy to soothe the minds of aggressors.

J'onn smiled, "I can do that." he said confidently.

" _I have no doubt that you will."_ Jor-El turned to Kal, _"You've grown stronger here than I ever could have imagined. The only way to know how strong… is to keep testing your limits. In theory, your potential is immeasurable."_

Kal looked slyly to his brother, "Will I ever be able to fly?"

" _In theory, yes. In our expansion era, there were legends of Kryptonians that could create their own gravity field, distorting and siphoning physical force, which they would use to move through air and space in any direction and at incredibly great speeds."_ Jor-El waved his hand and geo constructs showed an image of a Kryptonian in flight.

"Great." J'onn muttered, "That was the _one_ power I had that you were jealous of."

Kal laughed. He couldn't wait to start flying.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana stared Waller calmly. She had just recited her time in the Arctic dutifully and was waiting for Waller's response.

The Director of A.R.G.U.S held a cool exterior but Diana could see, in the woman's eyes, that she was livid, and _very_ close to exploding. The eyes were the windows to someone's true feelings and Diana had had a great deal of practice in deciphering the eyes.

"So, all you remember is waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of this alien ship breaking through the _thousand-_ year-old ice shelves and seemingly vanishing into thin air." Waller growled out.

Diana nodded. She didn't mention the feelings of loss in her memory. She felt like a small piece of her mind was gone and she desperately wanted it back.

"This event is being covered up by President Luthor's orders and you will _not_ disclose _any_ information about what transpired in the Arctic, including your teammates. You're dismissed Wonder Woman." Waller sneered and waved her hand dismissively.

Diana gracefully walked out of the office and immediately exited the building. She really loathed Amanda Waller. Arrogance seeped out of that woman's mouth on a daily basis and Diana would like nothing more than to permanently break her jaw.

She flew to the warehouse where the League stayed and was met with the sight of Wally playing a video game.

"Hey, Wonder Babe! Where, and how, ya been?" Wally turned around and zipped over to her.

"Hi, Wally. I was on a trip." She smiled weakly, "I'm going to bed, okay?"

"Alright, g'night or afternoon or whatever." Wally turned around and zipped back to the couch to continue his game.

Diana entered her quarters and gratefully fell onto the soft bed. She was exhausted. Her back had taken almost a full day to heal and she didn't want to think about how bad her back was at the beginning.

How had her back been wounded in the first place?

She felt the weight of her burden fall upon her shoulders like Atlas' punishment itself. How was she supposed to keep this a secret? How was she going to deal with this memory loss? She knew that something was missing. Like a puzzle piece that was missing from the grand picture.

She sat up and stared at the Lasso laying on her hip.

Truth.

She had never tried to use her Lasso for repressed memories, but it was probably the best solution to her problem. She gripped the Lasso and it glowed yellow in response. Diana closed her eyes and focused. _Truth. Arctic… Truth. Arctic.. Show me the truth._

Images flashed in her mind at dizzying speeds and Diana felt the missing pieces in her memory fall into place.

She knew exactly what had happened.

The Greenhorn brothers were aliens that had awakened the mighty ship from its ancient tomb. They possessed abilities similar to her own and were _very_ intelligent. …They had also saved her life. She owed Barry Greenhorn a debt. Amazon's always repaid their debts, and she was going to find the Greenhorn's to personally thank Barry and his brother.

She suspected that Barry and Joe Greenhorn were not their real names, so Diana would have to start from scratch. Whether Barry liked it or not, she _needed_ to thank him and she _would_ find him.

How do you find someone who has probably spent their whole life covering their tracks? Diana looked at the computer and realized the best bet is to search for urban legends of the impossible.

She was easily able to read through over a thousand articles in an hour and just as she was about to call it hopeless, she found an article detailing the collapse of an oil rig.

 _An oil rig off the west coast of North America caught on fire, and was set to explode. Many workers were trapped inside, and the Coast Guard had believed them to be 'unsalvageable'. The Coast Guard helicopter pilot had decided to circle the oil rig one last time, and that's when a group of 7 individuals was found waiting on the emergency platform. One man was clearly in charge, and was motioning everyone to safety. According to witnesses, this same man stayed behind on the platform when he noticed that the oil rig was beginning to collapse, and he held up the entire thing while it crumpled, giving the Coast Guard enough time to evacuate. The mystery man perished. Now, was this an act of God or a hallucination by oxygen-deprived workers? This is what one of the trapped workers had to say._

" _We were all trapped and on our last tank of oxygen. We all thought we were gonna die. It was hopeless and just as a few of us were pondering suicide, we all heard metal being crushed and turned to see the steel door ripped off like paper and a man appeared. He was on fire… and the man said, 'follow me.' We all followed, and he saved our lives at the cost of his own._ _…He was an angel. Because of him, all of us got to return home to our families and live."_

Diana leaned back in her chair. She recalled hearing something about an oil rig collapse when she had first came to man's world. She had not thought much of it but she had felt sad because she hadn't been able to prevent it. Now, she realized that 'Barry' had to have been this mysterious angel. The abilities match. The oil rig was owned by a company called Bright Arctic based in the Pacific Ocean.

Thanks to A.R.G.U.S' resources, the League was able to have the best technology the world had to offer. After witnessing the alien ship, Earth's technology was _more_ than primitive, to say the least.

She pulled up employment records of the Bright Arctic company and searched through hundreds of faces. None of them were either 'Barry' or 'Joe'. She then tried the Coast Guard and came back with nothing.

Diana arched her head back and then forward. She turned and looked at herself in the mirror hanging off the wall. If she was hiding, what would she do? Where would she go?

Themyscira.

Someplace familiar then. For this 'Barry', that would be close to Metropolis. She was certain that the 'mystery' man who kidnapped Mongul, and returned him later was 'Barry'.

She pulled up a map and saw that Metropolis was quite close to Kansas. She then searched for urban legends or mysterious happenings in Kansas.

 _School bus' tire explodes and drives off bridge into a river._ That headline caught Diana's eye and she clicked on the article.

 _In Smallville, Kansas, a school bus full of children drove off the bridge and into a river. Miraculously, everyone was okay and based off witnesses' reports from atop the bridge, the bus seemed to be 'pushed' out of the river by an unidentifiable boy. Pete Ross, a well-known child in the town, was thrown out of the bus and was apparently drowning. Witnesses' say that the same unidentifiable boy rescued him from an inevitable death._

Diana looked at the date and felt triumph when the article was published almost 14 years ago. That _had_ to be one of the Greenhorn brothers! She shut down the computer and smiled almost giddily.

She had never been to Kansas before, but there was a first time for everything. Tomorrow, she was headed to Smallville, Kansas.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana landed in an alley with no cameras near a gas station. She didn't really think this through. The only lead she had had was a 'Pete Ross'. She had no idea if he even lived in this town anymore. She looked down and made sure her disguise was in place. She was wearing glasses and a bulky jacket to cover her voluptuous body.

Perfect.

She saw a man pull into the station and begin the process of pumping gasoline. Diana found the idea of gas fascinating but knew that she couldn't focus on that. If Smallville was anything like Themyscira, then _everyone_ knew each other. She calmly strode over to the man, "Hello, I was looking for a Pete Ross. Do you know where I can find him?"

The man startled, turned around and gazed at her wide-eyed. Diana was nonplussed. She had grown used to the looks she receives from men and sometimes women.

"Yes… I know Pete." He stammered and then pointed down the road, "He's the manager of IHOP." He stood taller and stared at her, analyzing her. "And… who might you be? Pete's not in any trouble, is he?" He looked concerned.

Diana was prepared. She had worked on a cover story last night while lying in bed, meditating. "My name is Diana… I'm trying to reconnect with a man I met in Metropolis a while back, and he mentioned a friend named Pete Ross from a Smallville, Kansas."

The man nodded, "That makes sense." He scratched his head. "Well… it was nice meeting you, Diana. I'm Whitney."

Diana smiled cordially, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Whitney. Thank you for your help." She turned around and walked down the street.

People were close-knit here. It made her yearn for Themyscira. The two places were _so_ similar. Diana liked it here. She felt a sense of belonging that she hadn't truly felt in years. People looked at her curiously and waved to her and she waved back.

It was nice.

She opened the door to the IHOP and was immediately assaulted with the smell of pancakes. A bulky man with red hair was at the front desk and greeted her. His name tag read _Pete Ross, Manager._

Diana smiled brilliantly and Pete looked taken aback, "May I help you, ma'am?" He said in bemusement.

"Yes… I was wanting to ask you about an accident that happened when you were younger. A school bus that went into the river." She walked closer as she spoke.

Pete's face registered shock and then became a saddened resignation, "Let's have a seat." He gestured for her to follow him and they picked a corner booth that was isolated from all other customers. "What do you want to know?" He seemed weary, his shoulders were slumped and he acted like he was heading to his execution.

Diana frowned, "Just what happened. Specifically, the 'unidentifiable' boy who allegedly _pushed_ the bus out of the river and then saved your life."

Pete closed his eyes and then opened them again slowly, "I was 13, we all were." He whispered. His eyes were glazed and Diana knew he was reliving the memories of that day, "I was a selfish brat at that age. I picked on J'onn and Clark Kent frequently." He said ashamed, "The day seemed so normal. I would have _never_ imagined what would happen. On that day, the bus drove off the bridge and I was thrown out of the bus somehow… I was drowning and the river's current seemed insurmountable… The next thing I know, Clark, _allegedly,_ picks me up and hauls me to the riverside next to the school bus. From what everyone said, Clark, apparently, _allegedly_ , pushed the bus out of the river. After that day, I strove to be better." Pete stared at her, "I have never forgotten the act of grace that fell upon _all_ of us that day…" he trailed off.

Diana processed the information she just heard. Clark. J'onn. Kent.

She finally had real names.

"So, J'onn and Clark were brothers?" She asked just to be certain.

Pete nodded, "They're twins actually. Fraternal. They look nothing alike."

"Do they still live in Smallville?"

Pete shrugged, "Since their parents died, they've always been on the move. They'll stay here for a week or two, and then be gone for months at a time. Last time I saw them was about…" He paused and pinched his eyebrows together, "five or six weeks ago." He concluded.

"Where do they stay when they're in town?"

"Where else?" Pete snorted, "Their farm, of course. They've always been loners but whenever they do come into town, everyone loves them." Pete smiled, eyes flashing with memories and then he quickly sobered, "What do you plan to do with this _alleged_ information?" He scrutinized her.

Diana decided to repay honesty with honesty. She glanced around, and when satisfied that there was no one watching, she pulled up her coat sleeve to reveal her Bracelets of Submission.

Pete's jaw dropped but he recovered quite remarkably, "Wonder Woman." He breathed out.

Diana nodded, "Please, call me Diana. I have an unpaid debt to one of the Kent brothers. He saved my life." She revealed.

"Clark."

"You believe it was Clark? Why not J'onn?"

Pete sighed, "After Clark saved all of us from the bus, I began to pay more attention to both of them. Strange things were always happening around them. One time, in 2nd grade, Clark ran out of the classroom screaming and was covering his ears. J'onn immediately bolted after him and from my vantage, I could have sworn he was floating. They were always quiet. Smart, too. I'd say that they might be the smartest people I've ever met if it wasn't for someone else." A sad emotion crossed Pete's face and Diana was tempted to ask about the other person, but she decided against it. "Clark _always_ helped people… no matter who they were or what the problem was, he solved it. He was a natural hero and leader when he actually spoke. Then… things changed." He quieted.

"What happened?"

"They're parents died…" He whispered. "It was the worst tornado I've ever seen, and I've seen quite a few, Diana. Mr. and Mrs. Kent somehow were still on the highway trying to save their dog, I think, and I looked at Clark and J'onn. Clark had handed a little girl to J'onn and looked like he was _literally_ going to jump and somehow save them, but Mr. Kent raised his hand and shook his head. The last sight I saw was them smiling at their son's lovingly and pridefully. Then, they were swept away by the tornado…" Pete shuddered, "I will _never_ forget what happened afterward."

Diana leaned forward. She was almost afraid to ask, but knew that she had to, "What happened?"

Pete wiped his misty eyes, "Clark screamed. The road cracked and everything glass within a 500 meters radius shattered. It was like _nature_ itself was responding to his grief… everyone felt a searing pain in their head and when I looked at the Kent brothers… J'onn seemed to be green. His entire body was green and his eyes were orange. It was only for a split second, but it was enough. No one else, to my knowledge, saw it." Pete shook his head, "Clark's eyes were glowing demonically red. Areas around his eyes were black, like the nerves around his eyes were dying… Eventually, after several excruciating moments, the pain in everyone's head stopped. J'onn had placed a hand on Clark's shoulder and whispered something. Clark suddenly disappeared. Vanished. It was like he had teleported. Nobody saw him until the funeral a week later." Peter cleared his throat.

Diana raised a hand to her cheeks and felt tears sliding down her smooth skin. She now knew that 'Joe' is J'onn and 'Barry' is Clark. The story Pete just recalled was _so_ similar to the Amazon's slaughter by Ares. Even the reactions were the same. Both she and Clark had caused incredible damage to the environment with their powers and then had disappeared. She gently placed her hand over Pete's, "Thank you for sharing. I know that was hard." She hated talking about her own past. None of the League nor A.R.G.U.S knew about her origins and the story of why she journeyed to man's world. They think that she was a meta-human like Wally.

"Your welcome, Wonder Woman. It actually felt nice to speak with someone about it. You might want to consider doing the same yourself. Speak about what is haunting you." He stood up and held out his hand. Diana gripped it and they shook. They had come to a mutual understanding.

The Kent brothers were not normal, but they were _never_ going to tell a soul.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana followed the directions Pete had given her and eventually landed near a completely secluded farm. With her enhanced vision she was able to see other farms in the distance and knew if she was a human, she wouldn't be able to see them. It was a beautiful farm and was obviously kept in great condition. She ran her hands over her coat. She was feeling nervous for some reason. She walked by an old barn and ascended the small steps to knock on the door, "Hello?" She called out. A dog rushed to the front door and barked at her.

Diana lowered herself so she was eye-to-eye with the animal, "Hi, there. I'm not going to hurt you." She soothed, "I'm looking for some friends of mine. Their names are Clark and J'onn."

The dog quieted and Diana smiled, "Do you know them? Are they your owners? I'm just going to wait here until they get back, okay?" She turned around and sat on the steps.

The dog settled next to her and Diana assumed there was a door for the dog. She rubbed the animal's fur. The dog was clearly in the twilight of its life and she was pleased to see that he looked healthy. She scratched the dog's ears and stared at the fields surrounding her.

It was beautiful, peaceful, so much like Themyscira.

After 30 minutes, Diana stood up and the dog followed her. The day would soon turn into night and she wondered if the Kent brothers would even show up. She could stay in Smallville for several days, but the League and A.R.G.U.S would become suspicious if she were gone for too long. She walked towards the barn, curious, and ran her hand along the old wood.

"May we help you?"

Diana froze briefly and her eyes widened. People did _not_ sneak up on her, not since she was a young girl.

She whirled around, swords in hand. She was met with the sight of J'onn and Clark Kent. Their faces registered no surprise and Diana wondered briefly if they didn't recognize her.

No. They knew who she was.

"May we help you?" J'onn intoned dryly.

Diana was at a loss for words. She was caught off-guard. Every practice speech that she had memorized beforehand dissipated into smoke.

Clark narrowed his eyes, "Look, lady, you're trespassing on private property. So, we're going to have to ask you to leave." The dog had run to his side.

Anger flared in her throat. So, that was their play: ignorance, "Let's cut the Minotaur dung." She exclaimed, shocked at her outburst, but she was not regretful.

Clark laughed and J'onn chuckled.

That gave her confidence, "I wanted to thank you for saving my life in the Arctic. You can pretend not to know me, but I will _never_ forget the grace you bestowed upon me… You could have let the Android kill me and no suspicion would have fallen upon you, but you didn't." She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling vulnerable, " _Thank you._ " She stared into brilliant blue eyes.

Clark tilted his head to the side as if listening for something. He looked at the arms that wrapped around her midsection and he nodded his head, "You're welcome, Diana."

Diana smiled. It didn't matter that A.R.G.U.S would do _anything_ to have the two brothers under their dirty heels. She would be content to let Clark and J'onn live their lives the way they wanted. They were good people and shouldn't be poisoned by A.R.G.U.S.

"Do you want to come inside?" J'onn gestured to the house.

Diana nodded, "Yes, that would be wonderful."

She followed the two brothers up the steps and into the house. She was surprised at how clean the house was. From what little she's seen of her teammates' rooms, boys did _not_ have the spirit for cleaning. J'onn walked to a cupboard and pulled out a tray of Oreos. She almost laughed, Wally would do the exact same thing.

Clark settled on the couch and Diana took the chair adjacent to her savior. J'onn plopped down next to his brother. "How did you find us?"

Diana laughed awkwardly, "I used my Lasso to uncover the memories that you _repressed._ " She was still a little miffed about that, "Then, I read through thousands of articles about urban legends. I found one about an oil rig collapse."

Clark closed his eyes, "I knew that we should've erased the workers' and Coast Guard's minds."

Diana continued, "I realized that if I was trying to hide from the world, I would go someplace familiar. I assumed that _you_ were the one to kidnap Mongul and looked for areas around Metropolis. I noticed Kansas was pretty close, then searched for stories of the impossible and found the story of how you saved all your classmates from drowning."

Clark didn't seem too surprised about the last part, but J'onn looked at her curiously, "How did you find where we live?"

"Pete Ross. We chatted for a while at IHOP. He's a nice man." Diana recalled the memory of Pete's story.

Clark nodded, "He is a good man. A lot different from when we were kids." He looked at his brother.

J'onn finished chewing his Oreo, "Are you going to report us to the League or A.R.G.U.S?"

Diana's eyes widened. She had no idea how they knew about A.R.G.U.S, but answered honestly, "No. I'm sure you already know that the League is a special unit of A.R.G.U.S since you know about A.R.G.U.S itself?" When both Kent brothers nodded, Diana continued, "I _hate_ it. Amanda Waller would be the most arrogant person I've ever met, if I hadn't had the displeasure of meeting Lex Luthor." She frowned when she saw both brothers glance at each other in alarm, but dismissed her concern. "The only reason I haven't quit is that I enjoy working with my teammates and helping people."

Clark smiled, "Then encourage the League to become its own organization. So, then it will not be affiliated with _any_ government."

J'onn piped in, "You wouldn't be limited in who you could help. A.R.G.U.S only sends the League to places in the U.S. If you broke away from A.R.G.U.S' hold, you could save people from all over the world. Be a separate entity with your own rules."

"We would need funding though, and a base of operations." Diana frowned.

Clark laughed, "I'm sure that Bruce Wayne and Oliver Queen would _easily_ be able to provide funds."

Diana's jaw dropped slightly, "You know our secret identities?" She asked in disbelief.

"Yes. It wasn't at all difficult to figure it out." J'onn was shaking his Oreo tray to hopefully find more of his delectable treat.

Diana didn't really want to think about how _much_ they knew, so she redirected the conversation, "What did you do with the ship?"

"We hid it, so that no human will _ever_ find it."

Diana nodded, "Did you find what you were looking for?" She asked curiously. After sorting through the events in the Arctic and her conversation with Pete, it was easy to see that the Kent brothers were searching for something.

"Yes, we did." Clark smiled brilliantly and J'onn nodded in agreement.

"I'm happy that you did." Diana said genuinely. She wished she could have the same. Answers about the Olympians and Ares' slaughter of her people.

"You will find what you're looking for, Diana. One day, you will have your answers." J'onn stared at her seriously, eyes holding compassion.

"Thank you, J'onn." She murmured. She looked at the pictures on the mantle below the television. She could easily identify Clark and J'onn even though they looked only 5 years old. An older man and woman stood behind them, hands on their shoulders, beaming with pride. "I'm sorry about your parents." She whispered, "They seemed like good people from what Pete told me."

"They were the best." Clark stared at the photo she was looking at.

"Are you going to reveal yourself to the world?" Diana asked abruptly. She didn't want to journey into a discussion about dead parents. Her own grief was still _too_ fresh.

Clark looked to J'onn, "When we're needed. We'll continue, I think, to save people from the shadows. I know that I'm not ready yet to face the world's hatred and scorn."

"I am of the same mindset." J'onn intoned.

Diana nodded. That's what she suspected, "I should probably get going." She stood up and looked out the window to see night has fallen.

Both brothers stood up and walked her out the door.

She turned around, "If you ever need _anything,_ don't hesitate to look for me. I'm sure that you know where to find me."

Clark smiled, "Thank you, Diana."

Diana smiled back and levitated several feet off the ground, "Farewell, Clark, and J'onn."

"Kal." Clark said suddenly, cutting through the air like a bullet.

"What?"

"Call me Kal. That is my real name."

Diana smiled again, "Okay, Kal. Farewell to you both."

"Farewell, Diana." J'onn nodded his head at her.

Flying away from the Kent brothers felt wrong, but Diana knew that she needed to leave. A.R.G.U.S was probably tearing through its resources trying to locate her.

She looked back one last time at the brothers. She felt understood by them. She felt more of a connection with them than her own teammates. She had no idea why, but she was willing to see where destiny would lead them.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal watched Diana until she arrived in Metropolis. He turned to see his brother looking at him curiously.

"Kal?" He had raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"It felt right at the time. I feel more like myself when I'm Kal-El. Clark Kent was a facade to make me seem 'normal.'" Kal walked up the steps.

He heard J'onn nod, "I know. It just surprised me that you told Diana your real name."

"Me too. It was an impulse that came out before I could stop it." Kal admitted.

J'onn laughed, "I think someone has a crush."

Kal glared even though it was the truth, "I do not. Read my mind if you don't believe me." He baited.

J'onn shook his head, "I know you're already lying without needing to look into your head." He fell onto the couch and turned on the television.

Kal sat in the seat that Diana had occupied. He couldn't convince his brother that he wasn't attracted to Diana so he decided to stop trying, "Do you think she'll convince the League to separate from A.R.G.U.S?"

J'onn glanced in his direction, "I think she will. If she cannot, then I believe she will leave the League and do what she did in the beginning: saving people on her own."

That made sense. He hoped she would get away from A.R.G.U.S' influence. Maybe if she convinced her teammates to step away from the government, Kal and J'onn would join their team. He didn't feel near as lonely with her around and he was pretty sure J'onn felt the same.

After all, they were the last of their kind. No one else in the universe was like them.

XxXxXxXxXxX

A man gazed out at the myriad star systems before him. For almost three decades, he had searched for the Codex, the key to rebuilding Krypton. His friend had truly been a Thinker above all others. Kal-El was a ghost story that his loyalists have been forever chasing without finding.

Jor-El was right.

Krypton's High Council was a disgrace. They had become arrogant and ignored his friend's warnings. Because of _them_ , their race was almost extinct. Being sent to the Phantom Zone was a blessing in disguise because it had ultimately saved him and his crew. They weren't on Krypton when the planet's core completely collapsed. Jor-El's son was the key to finding the Codex.

He had traveled through many galaxies aching to hear rumors of a god-like being. Krypton had the strongest gravity of any planet in the universe. With Krypton gone, Kal-El would be one of the strongest beings on any other planet.

He heard none.

The only good thing that he had discovered was the existence of the last 2 Cznarians, a mated pair. He rectified the mistake of his forebearers and slaughtered the two survivors of Krypton's last eradication before Ma'aleca'andra. He was surprised at how difficult it was to actually kill them. Apparently, they had a healing factor that surpassed that of a Kryptonian's, which he thought to be impossible. He had to finally use the matter incinerator to kill them. He could begrudgingly see how his forebearers weren't able to eradicate them all.

There were rumors floating around about Krypton though. The most popular and what many races thought was the most believable was that the Kryptonians had ascended to become one with the Source because of their power. They became his personal army of warriors to dictate his will upon the universe.

He allowed the rumor to circulate until every race believed it to be the _truth_. Then, when he finally found Kal-El and the Codex, he would be able to create the legend that the Source was fearful of their power and attempted to make them extinct, but hadn't succeeded. _Nobody_ would ever dare challenge him and he would be able to spread the Glory of Krypton across the cosmos.

He truly wished that Jor-El hadn't walked the path he did. He can still see the life leaving his friend's eyes. He murdered his best friend and would always feel guilty, but not regret. In many ways, he was glad that Jor-El succeeded. If he had stopped his friend, the Codex would have been destroyed and Krypton could never have had the chance to be rebuilt. Once his Sword of Rao loyalists was captured, they all would have been sent to the Phantom Zone and the High Council would have returned the Codex to the Kandor Genesis Chamber.

Because of Jor-El, Krypton had the chance to be reborn.

Every surviving member of their race owes their hope to Jor-El and he will _never_ allow his friend's name to be uttered in _anything less than respect_.

"General Zod." Jax-Ur's annoying voice grated in his ears.

Zod turned around to gaze at the man. Compared to his friend, Jax-Ur was a disgrace. Jor-El was the smartest being he had ever encountered and for Jax-Ur to even consider himself a Thinker was a disgrace to his friend.

He had his uses though, "What?" He snapped. Just looking at his face made him angry.

"We have picked up a signal. A Kryptonian signal originating from a planet called Earth. We believe Kal-El is the one to have activated the signal. He has found one of the ancient Scout Ships that were launched into the void many millennia ago."

Zod smiled. Finally. Krypton would be reborn and Kal-El would hopefully join them. Even though the boy's existence was heresy, he would allow him to live to honor his best friend. If the boy had unfortunately become attached to the earthlings, then he would die. He turned around and looked at the countless stars once again, "Activate the Phantom Drive." He ordered, "Set our course for this planet, Earth."

He heard all his loyalists begin preparation and Zod felt elation for the first time since the eradication of Ma'aleca'andra.

They had finally found Kal-El.

XxXxXxXxXxX

 **Well, that's all for this chapter, folks! I truly hoped that you all enjoyed it and please, remember to leave a review. I would really appreciate your thoughts thus far.**

 ****Wonder Woman, in the comics, has always been really tall, and all is a Kryptonian. I think that he would be tall as well.**

 ****Here's an interesting that I think is** _ **fascinating:**_ **"The reason that the Kryptonians were obsessed with the Growth Codex was that of Doomsday. In** _ **Batman v Superman**_ **, when Lex attempts to create a mutated Kryptonian, the A.I. warns** _ **'Action forbidden - it has been decreed by the council of Krypton that none will ever again give life to a deformity so hateful to sight and memory - the desecration without name.'**_ **This basically alludes to how "the desecration without name" is a mutation of Kryptonians that has deviated away too much from the core species itself. While this deviation makes the new species stronger, it also makes it savage. This is why natural Kryptonian conception is proclaimed as a heresy, as the random mixing of genes could potentially create an unstoppable monster. Thus, the Codex was established to limit any unwanted mutation, i.e. maintaining the benign gene pool. It's understandable to assume that Kryptonians with their scientific advancement had mastered interstellar travel and even colonized other planets. Many of these planets could be in systems centered around yellow stars like Earth's. If we assume that the Kryptonian Codex restricted them from exploring other planets, there's really no rational explanation for it. Their military was** _ **more**_ **than capable of expanding their territory. Therefore, the Codex came in later. At one point in the distant past, the Kryptonians had an interstellar empire, expanding and colonizing yellow-sun worlds with access to their full Kryptonian capabilities, and reproducing naturally, until eventually, one or more Doomsday mutants started to be born. It's not just a matter of natural conception, traveling to different planets would possibly present a different environment for Kryptonians, thus leading to unpredictable evolutions. There could also be cross-breeding, which led to mutations. And these evolutions could result in Doomsday like creatures being born. I believe that is why in** _ **Man of Steel,**_ **when Zod and company are searching through the colonies, they come across nothing but death, and the expressions of the dead's faces were terrified. This was because a Doomsday mutant had been born and started killing them all. The Kryptonians then retreated to the** _ **only**_ **place the monsters couldn't go: Krypton. The red sun would drain the Doomsday's powers the moment they entered the star system, and the poisonous atmosphere would render them weak to their weaponry. Thus, the Kryptonians had imprisoned themselves within their own planet to defeat Doomsday. They abandoned the space exploration and retreated to their home world. Since those events, the Codex was established to avoid any such events and the Kryptonians began to avoid travel beyond their own planet out of fear of evolution itself."** **Most of this explanation came from Vedant Das Swain on Quora. I** _ **really**_ **like this theory because it explains** _ **a lot**_ **and it** _ **actually**_ **makes sense.**

 **Tell me what you think by leaving a review! I would really appreciate any comment that you guys have, whether it be positive or negative.**

 _ **Stay Safe  
**_ **ButtonPusher**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Justice League or any of the characters associated with DC Comics.**

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana sat calmly at the table, staring evenly at the expressions on her teammates' faces. Hal seemed neutral towards the idea while Oliver was grinning in approval. Arthur looked to be considering the idea and Diana knew she could sway him to her side. Wally looked confused and Bruce was scowling.

"Why?" Bruce glared at her, "We have a good situation going here."

Diana raised her brow and knew she wasn't the only one. That was a lie, "No, we don't! We had to let Mongul go because we didn't have any place to hold him. _You_ handed him off to A.R.G.U.S and none of us have _any_ idea what they did with him!"

"That's none of our concern." Bruce sounded like he was reading a definition.

Diana raised her hands in disbelief, "Fine, what about A.R.G.U.S controlling our every move and only telling us _when_ we can help the world? That doesn't sound like justice. We _need_ to separate! Have our own organization and not be affiliated with _any government_!" She said passionately.

Arthur nodded, "Wonder Woman has stated facts, Batman. At first, I was hesitant to agree, but now I do."

Bruce rose to his feet and stalked out of the room, "We are _not_ doing it." He growled out as he exited the room.

"Damn! What got up Bat's underwear?" Wally spun in his chair.

Diana frowned. That was a good question. Bruce was a logical man. It didn't logically make sense to continue as they have been doing, "I don't know. We'll talk about it some other time with him. Now, have you all come to a decision?"

Wally beamed at her, "I'm with ya, Wonder Babe."

Hal sighed, "It makes sense and A.R.G.U.S has always creeped me out."

Oliver was twirling an arrow between his fingers, "I'll do _anything_ to stick it to ole' Amanda Waller. Plus, I don't trust the government. Never have, never will." He smirked.

Diana smiled, "So, all we need to do is get Bruce on board." She heard murmurs of agreement and turned to Hal, "Now, onto the main reason we called this meeting. Hal, what did you learn from Oa?" She heard Bruce try to discreetly sit back down without anyone noticing. She smirked, it's too bad for him that she had enhanced senses.

Hal ran his hand through his hair tiredly, "Not a lot. The ring already identified Mongul as a Debstamian. This 'mysterious' figure is still a mystery."

Diana felt bad about lying to her teammates and omitting the fact that she knew who the 'mysterious' man was. She promised _them_ that they could live their lives in peace, though. Amazons always keep their promises. Plus, it seemed like a secret that was too intimate to share.

"The Guardians have no idea who this guy is or at least they claim to know nothing." Hal looked at his ring, "From what I've discovered, most races in the universe are comparable to us. Comparable to humans in strength, intellect, and ability. But they are always exceptions to any rule." Hal seemed to look for words, as if trying to explain, "There are legends of races that hailed above all the others." Hal sat down, "Let's see, there were: Czarnians, New Genesians, Apokoliptians, Manhunters, The Reach, Celestials, Debstamians, and then the Guardians."

Diana's eyes widened and her jaw slightly dropped, _'Celestial blood detected. Termination required.'_ That's what the robot had said on the ancient ship in the Arctic. The one Kal had crushed with his bare hands. Was she a Celestial? Did that mean the Olympians were really the alien race of Celestials masquerading as deities?

"Wait, the Guardians _are a race_?" Wally leaned forward. Diana did as well.

Hal nodded, "Yes. Those races were the greatest of all the races. They were the knights of the cosmos." Hal closed his eyes and arched his neck back, "Then, there were the _Kryptonians_." He said ominously.

"What about the Kryptonians?" Bruce glowered at Hal.

"If all those other races were the knights, then the Kryptonians were, simply, the kings. _Everyone_ feared them, even the Guardians. Their technology, intellect, and power were unparalleled. Of the races I mentioned above, only the Guardians, New Genesians, and Apokoliptians remain. Well, and apparently there are a few more Debstamians."

"What do you mean 'remain'?" Oliver had stayed quiet until this point. Diana wondered the same thing.

Hal looked sick, "Extinct. Krypton had a tradition called Eradication. It's what it sounds like. Any race that dared to challenge them was slaughtered like helpless babes. There were countless others besides the ones mentioned earlier. I don't know who they were because they were eradicated _so long_ ago. The Guardians had no records of them." He shuddered.

Oliver whistled, "Wow. They had some serious firepower."

"More than you could imagine." Hal whispered, "Based on the very few records the Guardians have on Krypton, their technology was the envy of _everyone_. They were an ancient race, the greatest of them all and could just live off of any type of sun's energy. No food, water, substance, sleep. Many believed them to be gods. In fact, many civilizations worshiped them as such, including Almerac."

"You said 'were.' Why was that?" Bruce frowned.

Hal fiddled with his ring, "Krypton's _gone_. Their planet went supernova and the explosion obliterated a little over half a galaxy." He paused, lips pursed, "Now, _they_ are extinct. It's ironic, really." He murmured.

Diana pinched her eyebrows, "Were there any survivors? If Mongul is a Debstamian, then _surely_ there has to be at least a _few_ Kryptonians left."

Hal shook his head, "No, it's been almost 28 years since Krypton's destruction. If there were _any_ Kryptonians left, the Guardians would know." He said adamantly, "A Kryptonian would _never_ stay in the shadows. They're simply too powerful."

Diana frowned. Hal placed too much faith in the Guardians. It was comparable to her old faith in the Olympians, or was it Celestials? She didn't know. She would have to ponder that later.

"So, the Guardians know _everything_?" Batman growled, "Because that's what it sounds like and you said they didn't know who this 'mysterious' stranger is."

"I said they _claimed not_ to know anything." Hal pointed out, "The Guardians don't know _everything_ , but they would _know_ if a Kryptonian still lives."

Silence ensued.

Diana needed to know, "Who were the Celestials?" She asked curiously, making sure to keep the anxiousness out of her voice.

Hal looked at her strangely, "Why do you want to know?" She saw the rest of her teammates look at her expectantly.

She said the first thing that sounded plausible, "Well, what if this 'mysterious' stranger is a Celestial? If you tell us about them, then maybe we could narrow down who this guy really is and his abilities." She lied. She's certain that Kal was _not_ a Celestial and that _she_ herself was.

All her teammates nodded in agreement, even Bruce, and Diana almost sighed in relief. He would have been the hardest to convince.

"That makes sense." Hal looked at his ring and it glowed.

"What are you doing?" Wally was looking at the glowing ring curiously.

"Searching through the Guardians' database for the Celestials." He replied absentmindedly. For several seconds, he continued to stare into the ring, eyes glowing green.

Diana was feeling impatient, "Does it take _this_ long?"

"Ah! Got it." Hal looked back at them, "Celestials were an ancient race, like the Kryptonians. They were eradicated by the Kryptonians when their leader, Sunorc, declared that the Celestials were the most powerful race in the universe and the Kryptonians were _weak,_ unworthy of their position of power, of the throne of stars they resided upon."

Oliver whistled in surprise, "That was the wrong move, apparently."

Hal nodded, "Yes, it was. Anyways, the declaration sent shockwaves through the cosmos and when Krypton heard of Sunorc's _insult_ , they immediately invaded the Celestials' homeworld, Supmylo. The Celestials were very powerful, if legends were true, they were able to manipulate matter itself and were very strong. But they were not Kryptonians. Celestials' relied only on their physical abilities while Kryptonians embraced their physical abilities _and_ their intellect to create technology beyond powerful. Physically, the Celestials' seemed to be the _only_ race that could equal a Kryptonian in pure physical power. Darkseid probably could as well, but no one knows." Hal looked annoyed, "The details of the eradication are lost, but _everyone_ knows that the Celestials' are no more because of their arrogance."

Diana thought about the Olympians and their own arrogance. She had never met her father, Zeus. She never wanted to because he was probably just like his own father, Cronus.

Her eyes widened, lips parted in discovery.

Sunorc was backward for Cronus. She mentally replayed Hal's story about the Celestials, sorting through all of the information he had revealed. Supmylo was backward for Olympus. She was right! The Olympians were a facade, hiding the survivors of the Celestials' eradication. _She_ was a Celestial. A hybrid of human and Celestial, with Celestial more dominant as she was only a quarter human. _She_ was an alien.

"Hey, what's wrong, Wonder Babe?" Wally was looking at her in bemusement, "You look pale. I didn't even know you could _be_ pale."

Diana swallowed, "It just disturbs me how the Celestials' were slaughtered." She lied. That didn't concern her at all. Based on the attitudes of her _family_ and the stories she has heard of Cronus, they were probably asking for it. War was a part of existence. Genocides unfortunately happen. She remembered reading about Adolf Hitler and his concentration camps, designed to kill people of Jewish ancestry. She doesn't condone what the Kryptonians did, but it doesn't surprise her. When someone is the _king,_ as the Kryptonians were of the universe, any insult to them means instant and often brutal death.

"Yes, I agree. Thank goodness they are extinct." Hal clenched his fist, "Any more questions?"

Arthur spoke, "Yes, I have one. What did these species look like?"

Diana nodded in agreement. That was an excellent question.

Hal looked surprised, "The only ones that looked human were Kryptonians and Celestials.

Celestials' looked like humans. Diana didn't need the confirmation but it further augmented her discovery. Was her entire life a lie? Her beliefs? Were any of the stories that her mother often told her as a child real? Had her father manipulated her entire life into one enormous lie?

Yes.

"So, this 'mysterious' stranger _must_ be kin to one of those races," Bruce concluded.

Hal shook his head, "No. Both races are extinct. It would be impossible for either of them to hide."

Indignation flared in Diana's heart. For the Celestials, it was easy. They've probably been hiding for thousands of years, like cowards. She wondered briefly if Kal and J'onn were a Celestial hybrid like her. Maybe, they were the offspring of Hercules, Zeus, or even Ares, the slaughterer of her family. She doubted it though. J'onn didn't seem to be anywhere near as strong as his brother and Kal seemed as strong or even stronger than her. Maybe, they were Kryptonians but she doubted that as well. Wouldn't the _Celestials_ kill them in vengeance? Matter of fact, they didn't seem to share any abilities with one another. Maybe, they weren't brothers by blood. Diana had heard of the process of adoption. The idea was foreign to her but she thought it was one of the greatest concepts that humans have ever implemented.

"So, we have no leads?" Wally exploded, "I need to thank that guy! He saved my life! I don't know if I deserved it." He whispered.

Diana smiled gently at Wally, "I'm sure wherever this 'mysterious' guy is, he saved you because you _are_ a good person, with a gentle heart."

"Really?" Wally sounded shy. It was hard to remember that he was the youngest out of all them at 19 years of age.

"Yes, Wallace." Arthur allowed a smile to grace his stern face, "You are a worthy comrade and even more worthy of a man."

Wally blushed, "Well… You know," He gestured.

"To answer your question, Wally. No, we do not have any leads." Bruce informed.

"I still need to thank him," Wally said, eyes gleaming with determination.

Diana gently squeezed his hand, "I'm sure you will be able to." She wondered if she could convince Kal to speak with Wally. He could hide his face and reassure Wally that he was worthy of saving.

Wally beamed at her, "Thanks, Wonder Babe!" He was clearly feeling better. She had told him countless times not to call her that, but he did it anyway, smiling goofily at her whenever he did so. The name had, unfortunately, grown on her.

Oliver piped in, "Do we have any ideas on how to track this individual?"

"No, but we need to come up with one fast." Bruce scowled at nothing.

"We're forgetting something." Diana said, "This 'mysterious' man might be trying to help or wants to be left alone." She came to Kal and J'onn's defense.

Bruce glowered at her, "That's not his decision. He _is_ a threat and we _need_ to find him." he rose and stalked out of the room.

Oliver whistled, "Boy, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning."

Diana glared at the spot where Bruce sat. He was _so_ paranoid! He didn't trust anyone and thought the absolute worst of someone without ever having met them! It made no sense to Diana.

"I'd say that's all for this meeting. Bats is getting on my nerves." Wally zipped out of the room.

Everyone shuffled out of the room, leaving Diana alone. She stood up and looked out the window. She yearned for Themyscira or Smallville. There was a simple joy in living in small communities that she missed. She wondered what Kal was doing.

Maybe, he would take up her offer to talk. Diana hoped that he would. It would be nice to talk with another alien like her. She didn't feel as _lonely_ when he was around.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal sipped his Budweiser and watched the Metropolis Sharks game as J'onn was relaxing on the couch. It had been a few weeks since Diana had stopped by unannounced and Kal had kept in contact with her. They would meet at Metropolis Park. They laughed over stories from their childhood and shared with each other the loneliness they feel each and every day. Kal learned that Diana was actually of a race called Amazons and her father was the Olympian, Zeus. She knew that he was an alien but he didn't tell her that he was the last of his kind. He didn't tell her of the Kryptonians' gory and bloody history. Maybe, it was because he had been hiding and lying for his entire life or maybe A.R.G.U.S could have tracked her. He didn't know. He didn't trust easily and even though he was _beginning_ to trust her, old habits die hard.

She told him that she herself was actually an alien. Apparently, the Olympians were actually an alien race known as Celestials. Kal remembered what his father said, ' _She seemed to be a Celestial hybrid of some sort based on the Android's readings.'_ Kal had a bad feeling that the reason the Celestials were on Earth, and that they were so small in number, was because of a Kryptonian eradication. He even told her that he and J'onn weren't siblings by blood. She didn't seem surprised and told him about how she loved the idea of adoption. He realized that beneath all her power and strength was a deep kindness he had encountered in very few individuals.

He liked her.

He's tried to deny it and force himself to stop, but apparently, the heart wants what the heart wants. That shouldn't be possible since he was a Kryptonian and doesn't have a heart, but it happened anyway.

"Grab me some Oreos, Kal." J'onn waved his green hand in his direction over the couch.

Kal rolled his eyes and in less than a second a pack of Oreos was lying in his brother's hand, "Here you go." He muttered, blurring back to the kitchen.

" _You are not alone."_ All the lights in the house sizzled out. Kal stared at the outline of a man on his television. He could hear people in Smallville and Metropolis shout in outrage at the power blackout. _"My name is General Zod. I come from a world far from yours. I have journeyed across oceans of stars to reach you. For some time, your world has sheltered one of my citizens. I request that you return this individual… to my custody. For reasons unknown, he has chosen to keep his existence a secret from you. He will have made great efforts to blend in. He will look like you… but he is not one of you. To those of you who know his current location… the fate of your planet… rests in your hands. To Kal-El, I say this: Surrender within 3 Earth hours… or watch this world suffer the consequences."_ The television abruptly switched back to the Sharks' game. The power returned and Kal could hear every heartbeat in the country throb in fear.

"He is a Kryptonian." J'onn floated over to him, "What are you going to do?"

Kal looked desperately to his brother, "I don't know." He felt a joy that he wasn't alone in the universe, but Zod sounded like a man who would do _whatever_ it took to seek the fruits of his labor.

"I would say, we should go to Jor-El but he only gave you an ultimatum of 3 hours." J'onn murmured.

Kal was of the same mindset. _'_ Watch this world suffer the consequences.' Zod's words echoed in his mind.

"Diana might be an option." J'onn gestured to the screen, "It's _you_ he wants. I have a feeling if I went with you, I would only hinder your progress."

Kal nodded, "I'll be back." He blurred out of the house and took to the skies.

He needed to talk to Diana.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana stared out at the gigantic ship from her window. 'To those of you who know of his current location, the fate of your planet rests in your hands.' Zod's ominous words reverberated in her ears. Could she give Kal up? Will Zod go through with his threat? She didn't like the answer.

Diana ran a hand through her silky hair and turned around. She wasn't surprised to see Kal standing in her room. She had gotten over the annoyance that he could easily sneak up on her whenever he wanted. She surged forward and hugged him tightly.

Kal's arms wrapped around her back. He was stiff, almost robotic. Diana pulled back and placed her palm on his cheek. He unconsciously nestled his face into her hand and Diana smiled gently, "I was worried you would immediately surrender to Zod." Saying that name gave her foreboding feelings.

"I don't know what to do," Kal admitted, his voice was a whisper, almost broken. He looked defeated. He sank onto her bed and ran his hands over his face.

Diana frowned, "Do you know why he wants you?" Why would someone care so much about _one_ citizen of their race?

"I don't know." Kal looked wild, "I thought I was the last of my kind and now, I found out there are more but they don't sound friendly. I don't think they're looking for a reunion."

Diana gave a question to the suspicion that had formed in her mind over the past several weeks, "Are you a Kryptonian?"

Kal froze, "Who told you that name?" He demanded.

"Hal did. He told us of how powerful Krypton was." Diana sat next to him on her bed, "I don't care about the sins of your people…" Diana swallowed, "I care about _you_." She admitted.

"Good." He wrapped his arms around her once again, "I was so worried you would hate me."

Diana chuckled, "I don't care for Zeus or any of the other Celestials… They probably deserved it."

"I don't see any other choice. I will need to surrender." Kal whispered into her hair.

Diana pulled back, "What? No, there has to be another solution. The League could defeat them." She knew that wasn't true. If even _half_ of the stories Hal said were true, the League would be decimated.

"It's me he wants. Not J'onn or you or anyone else. Just _me_. I'm not surrendering to Zod. I will be surrendering to mankind. There's a difference."

Diana frowned, "What does your warrior's instinct tell you?" She demanded.

Kal raised an eyebrow, "My what? Warrior's instinct? What is that?"

Diana growled. She had to stop using Amazonian terms, "Gut! What does your gut tell you?"

Kal stared at the wall. She knew he was actually looking _through_ the building at the ship that orbited the Earth, "That Zod cannot be trusted." Kal sighed and looked back at her, "But I'm not sure the people of Earth can be either."

Diana nodded in understanding, "You are in quite the conundrum." She hummed against his neck, "Is there anything on that ship that could give you answers?" She asked curiously.

"I'm afraid of what my father would say." Kal closed his eyes.

"Father? I thought your father died 10 years ago?" Diana was incredulous. Her eyes widened as she realized how blunt she was, "I'm sorry! That was so ru-"

Kal's beautiful laughter interrupted her apology, "No, this is my space dad. My birth father, Jor-El."

Diana smiled in relief. She's glad he wasn't offended, "Why don't you ask him? The only way to face your fear is to travel _to_ it. To face it." She recited her mother's teachings.

"There's not enough time. I only have 2.5 hours until Zod's timer runs its course."

"That's plenty of time. You can move as fast as Wally. You should have plenty of time."

Kal stilled, "Would you come with me? I'll bring J'onn as well." He sounded as vulnerable as an indestructible man could. He might be the most powerful being on the planet, maybe galaxy, but his heart was not indestructible.

On the inside, he was as breakable as any human.

"Yes, I am quite interested in meeting your 'Space Dad'. Plus, it would be good to see J'onn again." Diana unwound herself from his grip and grabbed her armor, "Let's go."

Maybe she'll learn more about the Celestials and her powers.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana stared at the man in front of her. She wouldn't believe the man was dead for decades if Kal hadn't swiped his hand through his father's head, creating blue sparks.

Jor-El assessed her, _"She is the Celestial hybrid."_

Diana looked to Kal in confusion. How did Jor-El know her lineage?

"Yes, we know. What can you tell us about Zod? I assume you know about his ultimatum." Kal looked desperately at his father.

" _Dru-Zod and I were best friends. We scored the highest compatibility scores in Kandor's modern history during our training. That was a test that determined which Kryptonians would work most efficiently together. He quickly rose through the ranks of our military and was soon put in charge of Krypton's forces. He is a cunning man who is willing to do anything for 'The Glory Of Krypton.'"_ Jor-El looked to the side and Diana looked on in disbelief as constructs appeared out of midair to showcase a story, _"During Krypton's final days, Zod attempted a coup. He sought to eradicate the degenerative bloodlines that led Krypton to its fate. The Codex was Krypton's greatest treasure. It contained the genetic information of every individual in the Kryptonian race. It held the genetic attributes of all artificially incubated infants before their inception."_

J'onn frowned, "Why does Zod seek, Kal? He doesn't have the Codex."

Jor-El smiled, _"Kal-El does have the Codex."_ The deceased man sounded proud.

"What? No, I don't! I have no idea what it looks like! Is it inside the ship that brought J'onn and I here?" Kal looked to J'onn, "Have you seen it?"

" _J'onn has never seen it, my son. I stole Krypton's main Codex and bonded its genetic information within your individual cells, Kal. Krypton's people are preserved in your body, my son."_ Jor-El explained, _"Zod seeks the Codex above anything else. It is the key to Krypton's rebirth. He will do anything to see it in his hands. The reason Zod is alive is that after his failed revolution, he along with all of his compatriots were sentenced to three hundred cycles of somatic reconditioning to the Phantom Zone for their treachery."_

"What's the Phantom Zone?" Diana asked. It sounded like a prison.

" _The Phantom Zone is a plane of existence located in subspace. It is a fearsome prison used by Kryptonians to trap and imprison the evilest, malevolent and corrupt. When Krypton exploded, Zod and his Sword of Rao loyalists were liberated from their sentence. They have been tirelessly searching for you, Kal ever since."_ Jor-El stepped closer, _"You have precious time remaining, my son. If you do not surrender to Zod, he will eradicate Earth."_

Diana's eyes widened. Thanks to Hal's briefing, she understood the significance of the word Jor-El used, "Is there a way to send them back to the Phantom Zone?"

" _Yes, but I do not have enough time to explain. You have only minutes remaining. The Army is gathered in Arizona. If J'onn stays to warn your teammates; Diana, then you can join Kal and vouch for him to the military. He will need your support."_ Jor-El said urgently.

"I'll go." Diana laughed at Kal's expression, "I have your back."

" _You must be careful, Diana. Zod will take notice of your presence and become intrigued… I suspect you will be forced to join Kal in surrendering. You will inevitably be discovered as a Celestial and Zod will seek to finish what the Kryptonian's of the past failed to do: eradicate all of the Celestials."_

Diana nodded calmly. She wondered if her father even knew that there was Kryptonians orbiting Earth. Probably not. She was prepared, she was an Amazon. Amazon's do _not_ let fear hold them back, "I understand the risks, Jor-El. Where Kal goes, I go. He'll need my help."

Jor-El smiled, _"Thank you, Diana. You are of truly great character. Kal will flourish with your support."_ He looked at Kal imploringly.

"Alright, let's go. J'onn, you'll warn the League?" Kal blurred out and before Diana could even process what he asked, he was wearing an ancient looking garment. Diana was awestruck. He looked like a god, cape flowing behind him, the blue suit, upon closer look, seemed to have words inscribed on the alien chain mail.

"Yes. Now, go. I trust you, brother." J'onn floated over and he suddenly shifted green. Diana's eyes widened. So, _this_ was J'onn's true form. It was like Pete said, he was completely green and his eyes were orange. J'onn pulled Kal into a fierce hug and Diana felt the need to look away, but she couldn't. The two brothers gripped each other tightly, saying goodbye if things do not go as planned. Diana felt tears prick her eyes, the scene was almost intimate, 2 brothers who have stood together all their lives have to separate and may never see each other again.

"I'll be fine, J'onn. Nothing will happen." Kal reassured J'onn along with himself.

J'onn chuckled, "I know you'll be fine. You have quite the résumé built up for causing trouble, though."

"Whatever, J'onn." Kal laughed and stepped away, "Godspeed, brother." He looked to Diana, "Are you sure about this? I have no idea what Zod will do."

Diana stepped next to him, "I'm certain. Now, come on. We need to get to Arizona in 3 minutes."

Kal smiled, "Not a problem. For you, on the other hand, I don't know if you can keep up." He teased and abruptly blurred away.

Diana laughed. She had never been able to race anyone while flying, this will be fun.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana landed next to Kal in front of General Swanwick. Tanks, guns, jets, the most advanced weapons Earth could offer, and pretty much anything that could be used to harm someone was pointed at Kal upon his arrival. When she arrived next to him, the military warily lowered their weapons.

"Well, you've gotten our attention. What is it that you want?" Swanwick snarked.

"I'm here to surrender to Zod. You can send a message entailing the details of my choice, General." Kal said calmly.

Swanwick narrowed his eyes and turned to Diana, "What are _you_ doing here, Wonder Woman? Do you claim kin to _him?_ "

Diana smiled cordially, "I'm not kin to this man, General. He is simply my friend and I am here to support his decision, speaking up for him when nobody's else's would."

Swanwick didn't look convinced, but he accepted her reasoning without comment, relieving Diana, "Alright, I'm going to have to ask you both to come with me. We have questions that _need_ to be answered."

"Understood, General." Kal inclined his head respectfully.

Swanwick motioned for them to follow him and 8 soldiers with high-powered assault rifles - that Diana knew would _really_ hurt her - surrounded them like an escort.

Once the reached the front of the building, Swanwick turned around, "I'm going to need you to wear these, sir." He pulled out a pair of super durable meta-human dampening handcuffs.

Diana's eyes widened. _Waller!_ That insufferable woman must have provided the cuffs to General Swanwick.

Kal didn't bat an eye at the request and obediently allowed the cuffs to be secured around his wrists. Diana remembered when Wally had tried on the cuffs many months ago on the orders of Batman. Her teammate's jaw had dropped as his connection to his abilities was nullified. He hadn't panicked and had desperately sought to uncuff himself, thanking Batman extensively when he was released.

Kal didn't even seem affected by the cuffs.

Swanwick turned to her and opened his mouth, but seemingly thought better of it, "This way." He murmured and placed his hand on a palm scanner.

Compared to the A.R.G.U.S facility, the base was quite rudimentary, but very developed compared to any of the other bases Diana had been to. Swanwick eventually led them into a room with a table and 2 chairs, "Sit in the chairs and in a few moments, we'll get started." He ushered them into the room and slammed the door shut. Diana heard every security measure they had implemented into the door, trying to prove that escape is not an option.

Diana was almost certain that they were trying to reassure themselves, not their _prisoners._

Diana took the seat furthest from the door and saw a mirror built into the wall on the side. Her reflection stared back at her curiously. She was almost sure it was actually a window from another room. Kal sat across from her, handcuffs clinking against the steel table softly.

Diana shook her head in wonder, "I can't believe that you let them _handcuff_ you."

Kal chuckled, "It wouldn't have been much of a surrender if I had resisted." He sighed and his eyes became sad, clouding with emotions, "And if _that's_ what makes them feel safe," He stared at the cuffs adorning his wrists.

Diana frowned in sympathy. She tried to find a distraction to talk about when she saw the 'S' symbol, proudly displayed on his chest, "Why do you have an 'S' on your chest." She tilted her head to the side, wondering what it could represent.

Kal looked up at her, eyes twinkling in amusement, "It's not an 'S' symbol, Diana. …On my world, it means _hope_."

Diana smiled, happy to know that Kal had part of his culture, "Well, everyone _here_ is going to think that it's an 'S' symbol." She stared at the symbol. It was beautifully integrated into the garment and she tried to read the _very_ fine lettering in the fabric. It was enscripted and beautiful characters were interwoven delicately, begging to be read aloud. She, unfortunately, didn't know his language, didn't know Kryptonian, though. Diana wasn't even sure if Kal himself knew his native language. She looked back up at him, eyes connecting with his own. He painted a powerful picture, "You know, I'm called Wonder Woman." She pointed to herself and then at him, "How about you be called Superman. Because of the 'S'."

"Sir? Hi, my name is Dr. Em-"

Kal turned his attention to the mirror, "Emil Hamilton. I know, I can see your ID tag in your left breast pocket. Along with a half-eaten roll of wintergreen Lifesavers, and a cell phone that is the best Earth can offer. I can _also_ see the soldiers in the next room… preparing that tranquilizing agent of yours." Kal tilted his head, "I promise that you won't need it."

Diana knew that it was logical for them to fear Kal and have a contingency plan to eliminate him if necessary, but she felt anger rise in her. She had to clench her fists to keep from causing a scene.

"Sir, you honestly _cannot_ expect us to _not_ take precautions. For all we know, you could be carrying some kind of alien pathogen." Dr. Hamilton's voice sounded unnerved, almost fearful.

"I've been here for almost thirty years, doctor. I haven't affected anyone." Kal stared at the window.

"That you know of." Swanwick's voice cut through the air, "We have _legitimate_ security concerns. Now, you've revealed your identity to Wonder Woman. Why won't you do the same with us?"

Kal sighed and stood up. He walked to the glass and effortlessly broke through the cuffs, "Let's put all our cards on the table here, General. You're scared of me because you _can't_ control me." Kal said bluntly, unwavering in the face of the military, "You don't, and you _never_ will. But that doesn't mean that I'm your enemy."

"Then who is? Zod?"

"That's what I'm worried about."

Swanwick's sigh was heard through the speakers, "Be that as it may, …I've been given specific orders to hand you over to him."

Kal nodded, "You do what you have to, General."

Diana stared at her reflection in the steel. She was ready. Whatever Zod did, she would _not_ be unprepared. She had been unprepared for Mongul and Wally had almost died because of her lack of insight.

Never again.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana stood beside Kal as they waited for Zod to arrive. She looked up at her tall companion, he was the epitome of calm, but she knew that it was just an act. He was nervous, she was as well.

"Thank you." Kal stared at her tenderly, eyes trying to tell her something.

Diana scrunched her eyebrows, "What for?"

"For believing in me when I had never even believed in myself." He said softly, eyes memorizing her features.

Diana smiled, "Well, maybe someday you can return the favor."

Kal leaned down, hands reaching out for her own. She had the unexplainable thought that he was going to kiss her. Their faces were inches apart, eyes saying everything that needed to be said.

Diana was just about to kiss him when she felt something slip into her hand, "Take this. Zod wouldn't think to search you for it. _Hide it! Keep it safe!_ " He whispered the last part and looked above her head, " _They're_ here."

Diana swallowed, "In the highly unlikely chance that they don't want me to come with you as well," She leaned up and kissed him, feelings conveyed that she feared she could never say aloud.

Kal stiffened, arms instinctively wrapping around her waist, their lips soothing each other's fears.

Diana pulled back reluctantly, "If they try to kill you, get out of there." She didn't wait for his response, flying over to where the military was stationed, several hundred yards away.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal had trouble concentrating on the approaching ship. Diana had _kissed_ him! He could still feel her lips on his own, the feeling of her in his arms. He had been overwhelmed by her, her smell, her heartbeat, and the feel of her soft skin as they kissed. The moist, swollen flesh that had aroused him. Kal was brought of his thoughts by the sound of the craft landing, creating dust clouds, shielding them from the view of the military.

A woman stalked out of the ship, powerful armor adorning her body. She was very beautiful, but her eyes showed a killer who had _no_ remorse or guilt. She was an apex predator, seeking to kill for the pleasure of it. He towered over her, but Kal had the feeling his height wouldn't make a difference if they were to come to conflict.

"Kal-El," The woman stared at him in what Kal believed to be disgust, "I'm sub-commander, Faora-Ul. On behalf of our esteemed General Zod, I extend you his greetings." She stared at him expectantly.

"It is an honor to meet you, Faora-Ul. Are we prepared to depart?" He questioned neutrally, unwilling to let her see how nervous he felt.

Faora smirked, "Not yet, Kal-El. Who was the woman who was standing next to you only moments ago? The scanners had picked up something _strange about_ her, an anomaly of sorts, if you will. I do not know why because the alert was only accessible to General Zod. Now, _who_ is she?"

Kal refused to feel intimidated, "She was a friend." He said simply, flatly, "You have no reason to be interested in her."

Faora frowned and circled him, like a predator stalking their prey, "Why so vague, Kal-El? She's of no threat to _us_ , are you trying to protect her?" Faora's eyes gleamed with triumph, with vague amusement, "Perhaps, you _care_ for her."

Kal couldn't keep the scowl from appearing on his face, he didn't even know if his eyes had turned demonic red. He was having enough trouble trying to quell the urge to punch the insufferable woman who was his kin.

Faora laughed, but it was not friendly. Rather, it was one of _dark_ amusement, "At least you've chosen _her_ as a mate, not one of the _humans_." Faora turned to stare curiously at the military. "Come, Kal-El. I would like to _introduce_ myself to the race that has kept you _safe_ for so many years."

Kal couldn't see any choice except oblige to her wishes. He had a feeling that the only reason Faora had wished to _introduce_ herself to the military was so that she could meet Diana.

XxXxXxXxXxX

"What are _they_ doing? They have their damned citizen! Do you know _anything_ about this?" Colonel Hardy glared at her, brown eyes blazing with rage.

Diana raised a brow calmly, "I have no idea what is taking so long." She said truthfully. She had been expecting a man to exit the craft, not a woman who carried an air of danger. Diana had wanted to see Zod, see the man who had threatened Earth and claimed kinship to Kal.

"Why are they coming this way?" Swanwick questioned incredulously, "This wasn't part of the arrangement."

She ignored the General, thinking that it was slightly naive for them to think that the terms of the arrangement would have been followed. Rather, she assessed the woman walking in front of Kal, leading him like a master might their slave. Diana grit her teeth at the thought, eyes taking in the harsh, beautiful features of the woman. She was a fellow warrior, carrying herself with power, authority, and grace.

The woman stopped a few feet away from Diana and Swanwick, "Are you the ranking officer here?" She asked the General but was staring intently at Diana, eyes cold and assessing.

"I am. What is the meaning of this? Where is this General Zod?"

The woman finally tore her gaze away from Diana to look at Swanwick with thinly-veiled contempt, "I am General Zod's sub-commander, Faora-Ul. I would like this woman," Faora pointed at Diana, "to accompany me along with Kal-El." Faora smirked at Diana, eyes gleaming with arrogance.

"Are you crazy? You asked for the alien! Not for one of our own!" Swanwick stepped closer, shaking his head adamantly.

Diana admired the man's courage, but she was not about to allow him to be killed, "I'll go. It's okay, General. I'll be fine." She stared into Kal's eyes.

Faora noticed her gaze and smirked, "Thank you…" She trailed off, obviously seeking her name.

"Wonder Woman." Kal finished quickly, eyes begging her not to say her real name.

"Thank you, _Wonder Woman_." Faora didn't look satisfied by Kal's answer but seemed to let it go. She turned to Swanwick, "Thank you, General for your planet's hospitality in keeping Kal-El safe for so _long_." She swiftly made her way back to the ship, not waiting for Swanwick's answer.

Diana stepped around Swanwick and Colonel Hardy, aligning herself next to Kal. They swiftly followed the sub-commander's form, "Are you sure about this?" Kal asked quietly.

She smiled at him gently, "Yes, Kal. We'll do this together. You _won't_ be alone."

The interior of the ship was similar to the ancient ship from the Arctic. Technology _beyond_ advanced adorned every corner of the ship and Diana felt slightly intimidated. She was pretty sure that all of those weapons could _easily_ kill her.

Within a second, they were in outer space, docking into the large ship that orbited Earth. Diana stared in awe at the planet, she had never been in space before.

"The atmospheric composition on our ship is not compatible with humans. You will be required to wear a breather beyond this point." Faora tilted her side to the side and handed Diana the breather, "You are an alien, with only a quarter of your blood belonging to the humans. You _should_ be able to survive the gravity on the ship."

"Should?" Kal questioned lowly.

"Relax, Kal-El. _Wonder Woman_ will be fine, won't you?" Faora's eyes dared her to contradict her statement.

Diana smiled calmly, "I'll be fine, Kal. Don't worry."

Kal didn't look convinced but let the matter drop. Diana was tempted to take his hand but knew that it wouldn't bode well for her if she did.

The wall in front of them turned invisible and Faora calmly walked through. Kal followed dutifully, his body becoming taller, stronger, commanding, he looked like a king. Diana stepped beside him and almost fell. Kal gripped her arm tightly, "Are you okay?" He whispered.

"I'm fine. The gravity is intense." She gritted out. She would have a very hard time fighting on the ship. She was at a disadvantage! She could not allow that! Kal needed her, so she straightened and inhaled deeply, the breather supplying the necessary air, "Let's go, Kal. I'm fine." She lied.

He narrowed his eyes, knowing that she had lied. He opened his mouth to undoubtedly question her again, "No you're not. What's-"

"Kal-El, come. It is time for you to meet General Zod."

Diana followed Kal's form as he walked through another wall and a huge room opened before them. A little over a dozen beings were in the room, but her gaze was drawn to the man standing before the view overlooking Earth.

Zod.

The man turned around, "Kal-El," He smiled and Diana was struck by the very _real_ relief that shined in the man's eyes, "You have no idea how long we've been searching for you."

"I take it you're, Zod," Kal said neutrally, refusing to be cowered. Diana was impressed.

Faora snarled, " _General_ Zod, our commander, free birth!"

"Faora," Zod raised his voice, eyes narrowing in anger, sending shivers up Diana's spine. That unholy rage that _glowed_ in Zod's orbs was almost frightening, "We will forgive, Kal for any lapses in decorum that he inevitably displays. He is a stranger to our ways, Faora. This is a cause for _celebration_ , not conflict."

"Forgive me, commander." She tapped her fist twice to her chest and Zod nodded, seemingly appeased.

Kal watched the interaction in longing, and Diana couldn't even _imagine_ what it was that he _must_ have been feeling, couldn't imagine how it would feel to be in his place. Suddenly, he began to sway on his feet, pain carved into his handsome features. Her eyes widened as he wobbled on his feet, looking like a drunkard.

"I don't… feel… well. I feel… weak." Kal grit out before he collapsed to the floor, blood streaming out of his eyes, ears, and mouth.

" _Help_ him!" Diana screeched, kneeling beside him, trying to offer whatever comfort she could, trying to figure out what was wrong, "What's happening to him?" She demanded, glaring up at the General.

"I cannot help him, Wonder Woman," Zod said with solemn eyes, the utter sorrow poisoning his tone tangible, "He is rejecting our ship's atmospherics. He spent years adapting to Earth's ecology, but he never adapted to our own, _his_ own."

"There _has_ to be something you can do!"

"There is nothing to do. Whatever is happening will need to run its course. Kal-El will be fine; he is a Kryptonian, and he _will heal_."

Kal layer limply on the deck of the ship, blood beginning to stop streaming out of his body. His healing factor was already beginning to work.

"Now, _who_ are you?" Zod circled Diana, Kal held in her arms, "You hold ancient DNA, one the system had not seen in several millennia. You also hold DNA that the system had _never_ seen before. It's almost similar to Kryptonian in a way, but _very, very_ diluted. So, _who_ are you?"

Without Kal, Diana was at a disadvantage; she was outnumbered and the gravity was bearing down on her, muscles beginning to ache under the strain, "I am a Celestial hybrid." She admitted, seeing no other course of action that she could take.

Various gasps were heard throughout the deck, including Faora's, but Zod didn't even look surprised. Rather, he smirked in triumph. He had somehow already known! How could he have possibly known? The General of what remained of Krypton stopped and looked down at her, "Now, tell me, _where_ are the Celestials? Where are your kin? Where have those _pretenders_ been hiding?"

"I don't know," She said truthfully. She had no idea where _Olympus_ was, no one did, "I've never met any of them." She said quietly, almost ashamed.

Zod narrowed his eyes, "How fortuitous for you, Wonder Woman It is no matter, I _will_ find them and Kal-El will join us in the _final_ Eradication of the Celestials." He turned to Faora, "Prep her for the intrusion."

"Of course, General Zod." She tapped her fist twice to her chest and stalked towards Diana, hand holding something.

"Have fun, _Wonder Woman,"_ Faora smirked and before Diana could react, a needle was jammed into her thigh. The effect was instantaneous, drowsiness swept through her body, weakness poisoning her limbs. She tried to fight back, tried to hold on so she could protect Kal, but holding back the tide of unconsciousness was insurmountable. She fell back, head crashing to the deck, eyes closing as darkness claimed her.

XxXxXxXxXxX

J'onn calmly flew to the warehouse that housed the Justice League. He knew his own task was simple compared to his brother's, but it will not be easy to gain the League's trust. He could use his telepathy but he wanted the heroes to trust him, trust he and his brother, of their own free will. After his brother and Diana had departed, J'onn had immediately departed for Washington. He had had no idea how the League would receive him but knew that he had to try and gain their trust.

The Last Son of Ma'aleca'andra turned intangible and descended through the roof of the warehouse. J'onn was relieved all the members were present, to need to gather any would waste time they couldn't spare. He walked through the wall and calmly observed the meeting.

"We _have_ to do something! Those aliens haven't left and Diana is gone." Bruce Wayne growled.

"When was the last time that any of us saw Wonder Babe?" Wally West asked seriously, clearly nervous but trying to keep it hidden. J'onn had to give the kid points for pulling it off.

"When we spoke about the Kryptonians." Hal Jordan said, "That was yesterday."

J'onn's eyes narrowed at the word 'Kryptonians'. His eyes glowed as he quickly scanned the Lantern's apex of thoughts, gathering what events took place yesterday.

"I do not know what any of us could do. I mean, without Diana, we have no heavy-hitter and are _very_ vulnerable, weak even." Oliver Queen's usual charm was nonexistent, "And if these guys are related to the 'mysterious' man, then we're fucked like a cheap hooker on the receiving end of a gangbang."

Nobody offered protest, the atmosphere turned solemn and depression settled into all their hearts.

"Perhaps, I could be of assistance," J'onn revealed himself, becoming tangible for all to see.

The shock on all their faces, even Bruce Wayne's was amusing. Hal Jordan quickly wrapped constructs of chains around him, "Who are you?" He snarled.

"Please, there is no need for conflict." J'onn stated calmly, "I am here to help."

Bruce Wayne stalked over and glowered, " _Who_ are you?"

"My name is J'onn. You need to trust me."

"Why should we trust you, dude?" Oliver Queen said flatly.

"Yeah, you could be trying to double-cross us or something!" Wally West jumped out of his seat in realization.

Arthur Curry finally spoke, "You might be of allegiance to General Zod."

"I claim _no_ allegiance to General Zod, neither does my brother." The words had the intended effect as all members froze.

"Brother?" Wally West asked faintly.

J'onn nodded, "Yes, my brother. We can both help each other, you know? You need our assistance and we need yours."

Hal Jordan squeezed the chains tighter, "Why on God's green Earth should we believe you?"

"Because Diana does." J'onn played his ace, hoping that the house wasn't already full.

"What do you know about Wonder Babe?" Wally West zipped over and stared into his eyes.

"I know that she is my friend, and that she considers me a friend as well, and I trust her. You should trust her judgment." J'onn tilted his head.

"Let's hear him out. He _might_ be able to help us _and_ he does know Wonder Babe." Wally West looked at his teammates.

Bruce Wayne did not look happy, "You're going to believe him, Wal- _Flash?"_

"We have no reason not to," Wally West shrugged and sat back down in his chair, "He clearly could have killed all of us and none of us would have ever seen it coming."

"I agree, let us give this man our attention." Arthur Curry sat back down as well, making his decision clear.

"Alright, he's the only lead we've got." Oliver Queen pointed out, "Let's give him a shot,"

Hal Jordan reluctantly dissolved his constructs, "Fine, but the _second_ something sounds fishy, we clobber his ass."

Bruce Wayne grit his teeth, "I do _not_ like this," He began, but was interrupted.

Wally West waved his hand dismissively, "You don't like anything, Bats. Just sit the _fuck_ down already."

J'onn admired Wally West's courage. The Batman was feared by most throughout Gotham City but this 19-year-old boy was able to stare him in the face and order him around fearlessly.

"Let's do this, then." Bruce Wayne glowered and sat down, "So, tell us, _J'onn_ , how can you help us?"

J'onn stood before the Justice League, "I suspect that General Zod will destroy Earth. You must be ready to defend it. Green Lantern, do you have any clues as to who Zod claims kin to?"

Hal Jordan frowned, "No, I've never heard of a 'Zod'."

"Zod is a Kryptonian."

"That's impossible! Krypton went supernova decades ago! There are _no_ more Kryptonians. You lie!" Hal Jordan slammed his hand on the table.

"I am not lying, What was the civilian that Zod desired? What was his name?"

"Kal-El," Wally said in bemusement.

J'onn sighed, "He's my brother, adopted, and… he is a Kryptonian."

"If he _is_ a Kryptonian, what are _you_?" Arthur Curry questioned, leaning forward.

"I am a Manhunter,"

Hal was flabbergasted, "That's another lie! The Manhunters are extinct! They were eradicated by Krypton only a few months before they themselves became extinct!"

J'on raised a brow, "Many thought that of the Debstamians." He pointed out.

"The Guardians records detail that Manhunters were green. You are not green."

J'onn sighed in annoyance and shifted, "I _am_ a Manhunter, just listen to me, you fools!" Their shock over his appearance soothed his slightly ruffled emotions.

"Why?" Bruce Wayne asked, "There is no reason to."

"Do you want your planet to be _eradicated_?" J'onn cried out in exasperation. Humans were so stubborn, "I _know_ that you understand the significance of that word!"

Wally was tensed, face pale, "Alright, we'll listen to you, J'onn."

XxXxXxXxXxX

"Hello, Kal, or do you prefer Clark? That's the name that _they_ gave you, isn't it?" Kal opened his eyes to the sight of Zod standing above him, the farm outlined behind him. He felt the grass beneath his fingers, soft and lush.

He stood up slowly while Zod calmly watched, "Where are we?" Kal asked in awe.

"Your mind, Kal. I will admit, your consciousness was quite difficult to infiltrate, but eventually, I succeeded, as I _always_ do."

Kal turned around to stare back at Zod, "We don't have telepathic abilities. How are we in my mind?"

"This is basic Kryptonian technology, Kal. Rudimentary, really, developed eons ago by Zor-El, your ancestor. It is primarily used for learning, sharing information and memories, training and _much_ more." Zod raised his head slightly, "For example, we used this to learn all of Earth's numerous languages in minutes."

"So, that's how you were able to speak to the people of Earth all at once in their own language," Kal concluded.

"Yes, Kal, it is also how you are speaking Kryptonian, now." He smiled vaguely, "Call it… a gift,"

Kal quickly got over his shock of the 'gift' Zod had given him, "Why are we here?"

"So that you may choose, Kal-El, and make the _correct_ choice." Zod tilted his head and the scenery changed. The farm swirled, colors changing rapidly, blurring together until he could no longer distinguish which was which. Then, it stopped. A place he had never seen before, but Kal knew that this was Krypton, his homeworld. He looked around amazed, it was the first time he was seeing Krypton itself with his own eyes. He didn't know why he expected it to be similar to Earth, maybe it was because he always wished it was.

He was wrong.

The sky was basked in a deep red, highlighted by the super-giant red sun, Rao. The planet was orbited by 4 moons, one was destroyed and Kal knew that was Wethgor - he assumed that it was because of Zod's 'gift' that he knew the names of everything. The scenery changed again, and Kal was basking in the knowledge that he now had of his culture. The planet featured many cities that were towering metropolitan areas surrounded by walls and towers. It seemed none of the planet's structures had any straight lines. Canyons and oceans composed most of the terrain. It almost seemed that the very environment followed his people's will, it was artificially built.

The city was populated by countless, swirling towers, built on the seemingly artificial mountains. These mountains were the foundation of the entire city, the buildings swirling through, under, and out of the mountains. Kal squinted, some of the city was _under_ the ground, swirling beneath the dense soil.

"This was Kandor, our greatest city and, eventually, our only city." Zod supplied.

Kal turned to look at him, "Why only one city?" He gestured to the scene before him in confusion.

"To spare resources," Zod gestured to the city, "The population of our people was carefully organized. As a result, Kandor was the only city that there needed to be."

"So, Krypton had a small population?"

"No, Kandor held well over a billion people." Zod chuckled at his expression, "Quite impressive, isn't it? We were the crowned king of the universe, a jewel glowing through the darkest parts of the cosmos. We were the envy of everyone, feared by all, the pinnacle of power, and a race so extraordinary that _none_ could _ever_ hope to compare." Zod closed his eyes in a curious mixture of sorrow and rage, "Then, _this_ happened," He gestured around.

Kal watched Krypton explode. An enormous wall of fire shot out of the ground, reaching the atmosphere. The planet ruptured, quaking, buildings toppled and global annihilation swept across the planet, fire swallowing everything like a starved babe. Then, everything stilled for just a second and then death claimed all. Kal screamed, tears streaming out of his eyes like faucets. His cry continued for eternity, echoing in his mind.

Zod put his hand on his shoulder, "I understand how you feel, Kal. I had tried to prevent this from happening, and your father had as well."

"How did this happen?" Kal asked in disbelief, in grief.

Zod's eyes were ancient, staring at the desolation of their world, "To know the story of the _how_ you must first know the past." He stood straighter and the farm appeared again, grass soft beneath his feet, "I was Krypton's military leader. Your father, our foremost Thinker, and innovator. We were raised together, trained together… we were as brothers. We achieved the Eradication of Ma'aleca'andra together, bringing great glory to Krypton. We scored the highest compatibility score in Krypton's modern history. We were the leaders of two of the four Noble Houses. Eventually, Jor-El came to me with his findings of Krypton's impending doom. We each had a different solution to the problem; your father wanted to bring his findings to the High Council, but I knew that those _old hags_ wouldn't believe him. As a result, I chose a different path."

"What happened?" Kal asked, riveted by the story that Zod was recounting.

"In return for my efforts to protect our civilization and save our planet, I and my loyalists were sentenced to the Phantom Zone. And then the destruction of our world freed us." Zod closed his eyes in sorrow, "We were adrift, destined to float amongst the ruins of our planet until we starved."

Kal frowned, "How did you find your way to Earth?"

Zod smiled slightly, "We managed to retrofit the Phantom Projector into a hyperdrive. Your father had made a similar modification to the craft that brought you here. And so the instrument of our damnation had become our salvation. We sought out the old colonial outposts looking for signs of life, but all we found was death. Cut off from Krypton, these outposts withered and died long, _long_ ago - from the Desecration Without Name, no doubt. When we arrived at the barren colony of Daxam, we salvaged what we could: armor, weapons, even a World Engine. For 27 years, we prepared until finally, we detected a distress beacon, which you triggered when you accessed the ancient Scout Ship. You led us here, Kal." Zod stared at him intently, "And now, it is within _your_ power to save what remains of your race. On Krypton, the genetic template for every being yet to be born was encoded in the registry of citizens. Your father stole the registry's Codex and stored it in the capsule that brought you to Earth."

"For what purpose?" Kal questioned quietly. He didn't like where this was going.

"So that Krypton can live again on Earth. The Codex has at times, in the past, brought beings back from death itself. We will be able to bring Krypton back from death. Now, where is the Codex, Kal?"

"If Krypton lives again what happens to Earth?" Kal asked warily, eyes noting the changes in the sky. A World Engine had crashed through the sky and into the ground, creating a massive shockwave, the earth shook for countless miles in response.

"The foundation has to be built on something, Kal. Even your father recognized that." Zod stood calmly through the dust storm, winds whipping around at 500 miles a minute.

Kal shook his head, distraught at what his options were, "No, Zod. I can't be a part of this."

"Then what can you be a part of?"

Kal began to sink through countless human skulls, foreshadowing the Eradication of Earth, "No! Zod! No! No!"

His eyes snapped open and he tried to sit up but was strapped down, Kal's eyes darted to the side. Zod was staring solemnly at him, "Your father acquitted himself with honor, Kal. Without his actions, Krypton would _never_ have the chance to be reborn. We all owe our hope to your father, Kal. He was the greatest man that I've ever encountered. I truly wish our paths had not diverged." He paused and his eyes became stormy with memories, "He would still live if not for his chosen path."

"You killed him." Kal breathed out, scarcely understanding what Zod was saying.

Zod nodded, "I did and not a day goes by where I don't feel guilty for murdering my best friend. But I do not regret it. If I had to do it again, I would. I have a duty to my people and I will not allow anyone - even my best friend nor his son - to prevent me from carrying it out." He turned around and stalked out of the room leaving Kal alone with the discovery of the truth.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana awoke with a gasp, hand flying to her thigh in remembrance of the needle.

"You have good instincts," A voice echoed behind her. She whirled around, ready for a threat, and she received one. Faora was standing calmly, only in a black skinsuit very similar to Kal's, eyebrow raised in mocking.

Diana quickly observed her surroundings, her hand trying to stem the flow of blood from her leg.

They were on Themyscira!

Her eyes widened and she whirled around, "How did you get on Themyscira?" She demanded, hands trying to grip her nonexistent weapons.

"We are in your mind, _Wonder Woman_ or should I call you, Diana?" Faora smirked, eyes colder than any ice on Earth.

"Where is Kal?" She growled, "How are you in my mind?"

"Kal-El is occupied," Faora smirked, "Our technology is _far_ beyond your primitive species, _Diana_."

Diana grit her teeth, "Why are we in my mind?" She still had trouble grasping the concept of being in her own consciousness.

Faora stalked closer, "To learn, you are the only one to discover his identity and existence. He trusts you." She sneered, "He _cares_ for you," She narrowed her eyes, "At least, he chose you as a mate instead of those _ants._ "

"They are human beings!" Diana yelled, ignoring the fact that Faora called Kal on his feelings, "You have no right to look down on those weaker than you!"

"I have every right, _Diana_." Faora said cooly and looked around at Themyscira, "Now, your consciousness chose this place as most comfortable, why was that? Was this your home, _Diana_?"

"Why ask a question you already know the answer to?"

"I was testing to see if you would lie to me. What memories does this place hold?" Faora swiveled to face Diana, "What horror lingers here? Show me!"

Diana watched the scenery blur in response, her stomach bubbled in dread, she had a feeling what horror would appear. The scene stilled and she was brought back to that _terrible_ day when she found her people slaughtered.

She watched her memory-counterpart race on the sand to the temple of Athena, "goddess, HELP US! PLEASE!" She had cried out. No response was given and her counterpart raced to the palace, trying not to look at the slain faces; she was not successful. The younger Diana arrived at the palace, bolting through the enormous hole in the wall, bypassing all the raging fires and dead bodies. She found her mother in the Throne Room, a sword embedded through her chest and Diana screamed out in agony. Her counterpart raced to Hippolyta's side, "Mother! You'll be fine, I promise!"

Diana sniffed as she watched her younger self, struggling with all her might to help her mother, "Stop this," She begged.

"No," Faora was staring at the scene critically, eyes alight with pleasure.

Diana roared in anger and attacked Faora, attempting to sweep her legs, but Faora simply gripped her leg and threw her back, "Please!" She cried out, "Please, stop this." She screamed.

"No, _Diana_ , watch!"

Diana, against her will, turned her head to watch her mother's death a second time.

The younger Diana had pulled the sword out of Hippolyta's chest, hands trying to quell the flow of blood. Her mother's eyes snapped open, "Diana," She breathed.

"Yes mother, I'm here. I'll help you! I can stop the ble-"

"It's too late, my darling." She coughed up blood, caking Diana's face.

"No, it's not! I will help yo-"

"Be strong, my beautiful daughter." Hippolyta struggled to breathe, "Ares… did this… retribution… crime, birth." Her eyes clouded, death claiming her as it did all her Amazon sisters, "Don't… let grief… consume you, my… sweet girl."

Hippolyta was dead, just like all her people.

The memory vanished and Diana wept, "Why?"

"Interrogation," Faora replied calmly, "Plus, it's fun."

Anger invigorated Diana's blood, she blitzed her torturer but was batted aside easily, crashing into nothing, yet everything.

"You are weak, _Diana_. You have _so_ much to learn."

Diana let darkness consume her.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal looked up when a scrawny man entered, "Who are you?"

"Jax-Ur, free birth," The man responded blandly, "I am General Zod's lead scientist." He picked up a tool and Kal was filled with apprehension, he tried to escape his bonds.

"Your efforts are futile, free birth. The strength that you have derived from the yellow sun has been neutralized on this ship. You are now as weak as a normal Kryptonian, just as you should be."

Kal stopped his efforts of escape, "How strong are we? Without the yellow sun, how strong are we?"

Jax-Ur stopped his measurements, "Our skin, muscle, and bone tissue have many times the density of the same tissue in the body of a human being, making us extremely durable. We possess an incredible healing factor that surpasses any other race. Our bodies musculature is considerably more efficient than that of most. As a result, our muscles produce no fatigue toxins. We are able to perform at peak physical capacity for a long period of time without tiring at all."

Kal swallowed, "So we are way stronger than humans even without the sun?"

"Yes, free birth, our kind evolved because Krypton was inhospitable, freezing cold, powerful gravity, and little to no food. Our kind's muscles and bones evolved to survive under the insurmountable gravity, but we still needed nourishment, nutrients. We needed something to keep us healthy, so we began to thrive by absorbing sunlight, using the energy to allow our bodies to function." Jax-Ur turned around, "Now, hold still." He placed a needle against his skin and Kal wasn't surprised when the needle passed effortlessly through his suit and skin.

He had no idea how he was going to escape. He hoped that Diana was alright.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana awoke slowly. Faora was gone and she knew that her mind was no longer being tampered with. She looked at her leg; the blood was gone and the mark had healed. Her muscles ached, almost burned from the gravity bearing down on her like the sky itself. She looked around the room she was in. Darkness was prominent and a small keyhole was in the center. She stepped closer to it, the slot in the middle made Diana think of the metal-like cylinder Kal had given her. She pulled it out of her breastplate - she was surprised she still had it - and stared at the 'S' symbol engraved on the metal.

Hope.

The shape of the cylinder matched the shape of the slot and Diana slid the cylinder inside, making sure it was fully inserted.

Nothing happened. Diana frowned and pushed against the key, it was in as far it could be. She tried to pull it out, but it wouldn't budge. She raised her arms in annoyance, anger coursing through her blood. Kal had trusted her with it and she had somehow broken it! She turned around to see if there was anything in the room she could use, maybe a weapon.

A man had appeared out of nowhere. She gasped and her hands went reflexively to her missing swords when she noticed _who_ it was.

Jor-El.

"Thank goodness," She breathed, "How did you get in here?"

"The command key, Diana. Thanks to you, I have uploaded into the ship's mainframe."

"Can you help me, help Kal? He's trapped somewhere! I don't know where, but Faora did something to me and I just woke up, trapped in here." She rushed out.

"I designed this ship, I can modify its atmospheric compositions for human compatibility and equate the gravity to Earth's. We can stop them, Diana. We _can_ send them back to the Phantom Zone."

"How?"

"This ship is powered by a phantom drive. It bends space. The ship that brought Kal to Earth uses the same technology, and if Kal can make the two drives collide - a singularity will be created."

Diana's eyes widened, "Like a black hole?"

Jor-El nodded, "Exactly, this singularity _will_ send them back to the Phantom Zone. Now, prepare yourself, I have taken control of the ship and Zod's loyalists will seek to kill you." He closed his eyes and Diana immediately felt the change. The gravity lessened immeasurably and her muscles sighed in relief. She tried to tear off the breather, but couldn't.

"Let me be of assistance." Jor-El stepped closer and placed a finger on the breather. It retracted and Diana pulled it off, breathing in an Earth-like atmosphere. She placed the breather in her breastplate, it could be useful for the future.

"Take the command key, Diana." Jor-El ordered and waved his hand, command key flying out of the slot into her awaiting hand, "You must move quickly, the alarms have sounded." He twitched his finger and the wall turned invisible. They both stepped through and 2 soldiers appeared in her line of sight. Diana slapped her bracers together, creating a shockwave to push her adversaries back. She whipped around when she heard more behind her.

She wasn't fast enough.

Just as they raised their weapons, a wall slammed down, ejecting torrents of energy into their bodies. They fell limply to the floor. Diana turned wide eyes to Jor-El, "Did you do that?"

"Yes, pick up her sidearm. You'll need it, Diana. You are outnumbered and must escape as quickly as you can." He teleported to the end of the hallway.

Although the comment hurt her warrior's pride, Diana knew not to argue against the truth.

"Come, Kal is in Jax-Ur's clutches." She had never heard anger color Jor-El's voice before, he was always calm, cool, and collected. He and Jax-Ur must have a history. Diana followed Kal's father, shooting soldiers when they appeared - she _really_ liked this weapon, it was _very_ powerful - and walking through walls, "Here, we are." Jor-El clenched a fist and the wall was torn off, Diana immediately rushed in, weapon raised, ready to kill anyone. The room was vacant except Kal, who was swinging off the side of a table, and she rushed to him, gripping him fiercely in a hug.

"I'm so relieved you're okay!" Diana breathed against his chest. She had been so worried Zod or Faora had done something to him.

Kal hugged her back, "Me too, I'm _glad_ you're okay." He murmured, stroking her hair. When he stopped, Diana pulled back in confusion.

Kal was looking past her, "Is it true what Zod said about the Codex?" She turned around to see Jor-El standing near the wall.

"Strike that panel." He pointed to the wall and Kal immediately obeyed, striking his fist against the wall, easily powering through the material. Diana tensed as the vacuum of space howled around them, she couldn't breathe! She swiftly grabbed the breather out of her breastplate and strapped it on - she was _so_ grateful she decided to keep it.

Air.

Fresh Earth-like oxygen streamed into the mask and Diana greedily inhaled as deeply as she could. She glanced to the side and her eyes widened. Her swords! Still inhaling through the breather, Diana strode over and plucked her weapons off the table, placing them in their sheaths on her back. It seemed that they were being scanned somehow - probably to see what they were made of. Once suitably refreshed, she looked to Kal and Jor-El. They were staring at her critically. She waved her hand, informing them she was fine.

Jor-El turned to his son, "Yes, we wanted you to learn what it meant to be human, then you could become the bridge between two peoples. Be a beacon for Earth to strive towards. You may choose what you wish to do with the Codex, my son. You are _free_ to choose, not tied down genetically." He turned his head to the side, "Look,"

Diana had adjusted herself beside Kal, using him as a shield against the overwhelming force of the vacuum of space. They both looked to where Jor-El urged. A ship had exited the Black Zero and was headed to Earth.

"You can save them, Kal." Jor-El smiled proudly at his son, "You can save _all_ of them."

Kal stared transfixed at the ship entering Earth's atmosphere, eyes tracking movements she could never see, "Thank you, _father_."

Jor-El smiled and nodded proudly, vanishing in a flash of light.

Kal took off, flying faster than Apollo ever could. Diana was forced back from the sheer power, slamming into the wall, lips parted in shock. She didn't believe he did that! She was going to get him back. She got up, Kal had already breached Earth's atmosphere. Making sure she had her weapons - Kryptonian gun too - Diana dove after him, laughing in joy.

XxXxXxXxXxX

 **That's all, folks! I truly hope you enjoyed it and remember, please leave a review. I would really appreciate it!**

 ****I have the Amazons as a race, powers/ability wise, being the same, if not more, as a Super Soldier in the MCU, so about a 20-30-ton lifter. For comparison, t** **he Atlanteans will be about 40-50-ton lifters. Also, if you're curious, I have J'onn pegged as about a 50-60-ton lifter.**

 ****Kryptonians are comparable to the Asgardians in the MCU, far stronger than humans and even the Super Soldiers (and Atlanteans and Amazons). So, 100-ton lifters without yellow sunlight on Earth or any other planet. On Krypton, the Kryptonians would seem like regular humans underneath the 1000x stronger gravity.**

 ****I know that the Celestials are a race in Marvel, but I'm integrating ideas from it into this story. The Olympians (Celestials) will be like Ego, Star Lord's father from Guardians of the Galaxy, in terms of how their powers work.**

 ****I hope the story of the Amazon's slaughter was to everyone's liking or at least tolerable.**

 **Tell me what you think! Please, leave a review and hit that favorite or follow button. Thanks!**

 **Please pray for the victims and families of the Texas Church Shooting and the shooting in Northern California.**

 _ **Stay Safe  
**_ **ButtonPusher**


	5. Chapter 4

**I saw the Justice League movie… Superman was** _ **amazing**_ **! He was the best part of the movie! I really liked Flash and Cyborg. I liked parts of Batman and Aquaman. I was disappointed in Wonder Woman. I** _ **really**_ **did not like the very** _ **sudden**_ **BM/WW that was** _ **forced**_ **into the film. Other than that, I thought it was a great movie, don't believe what the critics say. Go see the movie and create your own opinion**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Justice League or any of the characters associated with DC Comics.**

XxXxXxXxXxX

J'onn explained the dilemma that was plaguing Earth's future. The reactions he received were about as he expected. Bruce Wayne was furious, demanding to know how to kill these invaders. Wally West was shocked and looked a little frightened. J'onn couldn't blame the kid, he had no business fighting against god-like beings but was determined to do so anyway because it was the right thing to do. J'onn admired that. Hal Jordan was wondering how the Guardians could make it to the planet in such a short time and Oliver Queen was stoic, face poised in contemplation. Arthur Curry was gripping his trident tightly, knuckles turning white under the strain.

"I know this is a lot to take in," J'onn began, "But we are running out of time. I suspect Zod will soon commence whatever plan he has created."

Wally West paced back and forth, hands vibrating uncontrollably, "How do we fight them?" He almost yelled, "They hacked into every tv, computer, phones, tablets, EVERYTHING! Our defenses weren't able to do _anything_ against the technology. The NSA was obliterated!" Wally breathed heavily, slumping against the wall, "How do we do this?" He whispered.

"Teamwork," Bruce Wayne said simply, "We've been a team for a little over a year now. We know each other's habits. _They_ don't! The only way we ward them off is by doing it together."

"Batman is correct." J'onn closed his eyes, "Look within yourself, find the source of what drives you to be a hero, to put your lives at risk every day. Find it and _grasp_ it! Dig deep! You must use _all_ your power and energy, physical and mental, to combat Zod and his loyalists." J'onn looked into all their minds, seeing what gave them the courage to be a hero.

Bruce Wayne's parents were murdered by a gangster right in front of him when he was only a child. The trauma of that night shaped him into the man he would become.

Hal Jordan thought about his father's death when he was piloting a 747-fighter jet a decade ago. " _Don't let fear win, sport. Use your willpower to overcome,"_ Those were the last words that ever left Hal's father's lips. Hal always thinks about that motto when fighting against fear.

Arthur Curry became a member of the Justice League for the sake of his kingdom in Atlantis. For the past several decades, humans have been polluting the oceans with their wastes. Atlantis was in an uproar, demanding their King to declare war on the surface-dwellers. What the entire kingdom did not know was that the King had fathered a child with one of the humans, a bastard. The King refused to go to war for years for the sake of his son. Eventually, the King's brother led an uprising against the King, killing him and seizing the throne for himself. The King told one of his servants about his son right before his death. The servant, Mera, swiftly ascended to the surface-dwellers intent on finding the rightful heir to Atlantis. She found him after several weeks and she told Arthur of his true origins, encouraging him to take his rightful place as King of the Seven Seas. Arthur was reluctant, but relented and went to war against his uncle, claiming back the throne in his father's name, seizing the Trident as his rightful sign of kingship. The court tried to sway the new King to go to war with the polluting surface-dwellers, but Arthur refused like his father. Instead of doing nothing like his father, Arthur joined the Justice League and negotiated with A.R.G.U.S the wastes that were polluting his home. Waller appeased Arthur by sending teams to the coast of Florida and repairing the damage that the humans had wrought.

Oliver Queen was stranded on a deserted island for several years, realizing that to survive he had to become someone other than the playboy. He molded himself into a warrior, a combatant that was one of the most skilled on Earth. His father always told him that the job of the rich is to serve the poor, to build a better tomorrow. Oliver came to the conclusion that the only way to do that is by becoming a hero and joining the Justice League.

Wally West's mother was killed by a mysterious force when he was a child. His father was blamed for the murder and has been locked in prison ever since. He always searched for the impossible, striving to solve the idiosyncrasies of the world. When he was struck by that bolt of lightning and crashed into the chemicals he was diluting, he gained a connection to the Speed Force. Since Wally was a computer genius, he hacked into cameras of the city and erased _any_ footage of the night he was given powers. He races to find the solution to the sentence of his father's imprisonment. He joined the Justice League because he needed friends like himself, with powers, and because it was the right thing to do.

"So, you said that your brother is one of _them,_ " Hal Jordan asked almost timidly, "are these Kryptonians as powerful as the legends say?"

J'onn didn't sugarcoat it, "Probably more so. Their technology _alone_ is almost enough for them to destroy any who dare resist them."

"We're doomed!" Wally West cried dramatically, slumping in his chair with defeat wafting off his form.

"You forget, my brother is one of them. He will be able to resist them and Diana will probably be able to do so as well." J'onn reminded, "At the first sign of any attack I want you all to be at the location as soon as possible. So that means, Green Lantern will carry Batman, Aquaman, and Green Arrow. Flash will be able to run to wherever the location is." J'onn looked at the clock adorning the wall, "I have prior objectives that need to be implemented. Farewell, Justice League." He didn't wait for their responses and disappeared from their sight, becoming intangible and flying through the roof.

He needed to move the ship he and his brother arrived in. Zod will inevitably come for it, it has vast Kryptonian technology that their father stored in the capsule, hoping some parts of Krypton will be reborn. There was technology from Ma'aleca'andra, Czarnia, Supmylo, the Reach, and all the other many races the Kryptonians eradicated.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Bruce Wayne was furious, yet appeared calm to his teammates. When he discovered the existence of Diana, he thought nobody could _ever_ be as powerful as her. The brute, Mongul opened his eyes. Diana was as strong as the alien, but he was noticeably more durable. Then, the mysterious 'stranger' or J'onn's brother had opened his eyes even further. There were beings out there who could wipe out the entire human race! There were beings out there with god-like abilities. There were beings out there who were a threat beyond what anyone could ever imagine. Batman stalked out of the room, directing himself to his quarters. He needed to contact Waller _immediately!_

Bruce fell into the chair gratefully and pulled out his private communicator that Waller herself had given him. He plugged it into the computer and in seconds, Waller appeared on his screen, _"What is it, Batman? I have other business to attend to,"_ She was clearly in a foul mood.

Bruce didn't care, "If you haven't noticed, there are aliens orbiting the planet and they _still_ haven't left. They will kill us all!" He growled out, mind plagued by the stories shared by Hal and J'onn, "We won't be able to stop them." He swallowed, hating to speak the words he was going to admit, "They're too _powerful_ for _any_ of us."

Waller growled, _"That's preposterous! Who has poisoned your mind, Batman?"_ She demanded.

Bruce clenched his jaw, "An alien named J'onn. He is brothers with the one they call 'Kal-El' and has warned the League of what could happen."

Waller slapped her hand on her desk, off-screen, _"That's bullshit, Batman! We don't need the advice of an old civilization. We don't need these aliens looking down on the potential of us! We don't need their permission to grow, adapt, and evolve! They have no right to look down on us like we are children compared to them! This J'onn can take his advice and shove it up his ass!"_

"AMANDA!" Bruce roared, "Enough! Whether _you_ like it or not, those aliens hacked, effortlessly mind you, into the most secure and advanced computers of Earth, who knows what else they did! I don't know if we should trust this J'onn guy. Frankly, _I_ don't trust him but everyone else does. I believe that your actions are going to get all of us killed! Your arrogance has blinded you!"

Waller looked livid, veins in her neck bulging out in her anger, _"If you believe anything, Batman… Believe this!"_ She held up a small device in her hand and clicked the small red button with a vicious smile.

Bruce's eyes widened. Agonizing pain erupted in his body. It was everywhere, it had no beginning and seemingly no end. He couldn't stop the whimper of pain that left his lips. Even though it has happened before, it was excruciating. It felt like his body was getting ripped apart and getting ripped apart some more with acid being poured through his veins. Tears streamed out of his eyes as his mouth opened in a silent scream.

He honestly thought Waller was about to kill him. Bruce always knew she could whenever she wanted because of the micro-detonator/pain matrix implanted - against his will - in his spine right above the C1 or atlas. He's had the chip for 10 years, been under Waller's disgusting thumbs for a decade.

Then, it mercifully stopped. Bruce slumped down on the desk, drool falling out of his mouth. He didn't care. "You _bitch_ ," He growled against the keyboard.

" _Careful, Batman."_ Waller taunted, waving the device, _"I wouldn't want to accidentally press this button again. If that happened, you would die just like your parents did, just like Jason did!"_

Bruce swallowed back his hatred for that insufferable woman, "What is it you would have me do?

" _Destroy these aliens and scavenge whatever of their technology you can. Report your findings to me and A.R.G.U.S will secure the technology from you."_ Her eyes gleamed with possibilities, _"Do you understand your task, Batman?"_

"Yes," He growled out and yanked the private communicator out of the computer, ending the session.

Bruce Wayne slumped in his seat, feeling defeated. How was he ever going to get out from under Amanda Waller's heel? He had no idea, but that wasn't going to _ever_ stop him from trying.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana raced towards Kal, he was floating down into a field, looking around in confusion. He tilted his head to the side and she knew he heard her approaching.

"I lost them," Kal said incredulously, "I could easily hear and see the ship and then _nothing_. They were just _gone_."

Diana floated down next to him, "Did they use some type of technology? Their technology is _so_ advanced. It's like it's magic." She looked up at Kal in alarm, "They looked in my mind and they did _things_ an-"

Kal turned to look down at her gently, "It's okay, Diana. They did the same thing to me. I learned _so_ much about Krypton. I _saw_ it!" His eyes were a mixture of joy and grief, "I also learned Zod's plan." He whispered.

Diana recognized the urgency in his tone, "What is he planning to do, Kal? Will he eradicate Earth? He said he was going to eradicate the Celestials."

Kal opened his mouth and then froze. His head tilted to the side slightly and then his eyes suddenly glowed demonic red; he exploded off the ground, creating a massive shockwave that Diana felt in her _bones_. Once she readjusted to her body, she took to the skies and followed Kal's streaking form. She had a feeling Kal had heard J'onn in trouble.

XxXxXxXxXxX

J'onn heard the unmistakable sound of a ship landing in the yard and Hank barking furiously. He stepped around Hank and opened the door, unsurprised to see a Kryptonian ship docked in his yard.

He descended down the steps calmly, watching passively as four Kryptonians ascended down a ramp and into the yard.

The one who he assumed was Zod spoke, "Who are _you?_ " He clearly expected someone else.

J'onn raised an eyebrow, "I am J'onn Kent, may I ask who _you_ are?" He stalled, he stood _no_ chance against one Kryptonian, let alone four. He hoped Kal would arrive soon. He tried to enter their minds but it was like they had _no_ presence at all. Their helmets must shield their minds against telepathic attacks.

The metal face-mask seemed to dissolve, and Zod's face was shown looking at him impressed, "You're Clark Kent's brother. Are you not scared?"

J'onn shrugged, "I'm terrified," He admitted.

"Kal-El is Clark Kent." Zod spat the name with disgust, obviously hating that Kal was given a different name than the one he was born with.

"Yes, I know," J'onn said simply, "We're brothers."

"Sir, the scanner says he is a Manhunter," One of the soldiers said hesitantly, "I've reset the scanner several times and it keeps saying he is of Ma'aleca'andra."

Zod turned to his subordinate, "Show me!"

The soldier raised his arm and a hologram appeared, more futuristic than anything J'onn could ever imagine. A language appeared and J'onn had no idea what the dialogue mentioned but knew it did not bode well for him because Zod turned to him in rage.

"What did _you_ do?" Zod gripped their father's truck and effortlessly tossed it the house, destroying the small settlement. J'onn heard Hank bark and run through one of the holes in the wall. He was relieved their dog wasn't caught in the destruction.

He didn't get a chance to answer because Zod stepped closer, "You _mindless_ cretin! You controlled Jor-El, didn't you? There is _no_ way my best friend would have _ever_ betrayed Krypton for selfish reasons! How did you bypass his defenses, _monster_? TELL ME!" He roared.

J'onn knew nothing he could say would change Zod's already made up mind. The General was absolutely _certain_ that Jor-El would never show mercy to a defenseless, innocent baby. He stood tall, "You tell me. Afterall, you're the one who's in charge here."

"You insolent worm!" Zod clenched his fists.

"Why are you here?" J'onn changed tactics, hoping to stall even further.

Zod narrowed his eyes, "The craft you arrived in, where is it?" He stepped closer, like a reaper coming to claim J'onn's forfeited soul, eyes blazing with loathing.

The last son of Ma'aleca'andra adopted a look of befuddlement, " _What_ craft? I've _never_ seen any-"

Zod gripped his throat mercilessly, "Where is the CODEX?"

J'onn couldn't breathe, he was flailing desperately, seeking to relieve the pain. He tried to shift his body intangible but he couldn't! He didn't know if it was because he couldn't concentrate or if Zod was using some kind of technology. He desperately tried to pull Zod's hand away but it was useless. He looked to the barn, intent on trying to prolong his life.

Zod noticed his gaze and smiled. He dropped J'onn unceremoniously and used that same hand to point at the barn, "There,"

One of the Kryptonians - a female if J'onn wasn't mistaken - effortlessly leaped high into the sky, easily crashing through the breakable wood and into the cellar. She exited the barn the same way and landed next to Zod, "The craft is not there. _Nothing is,"_

Zod turned to stare at J'onn's downed form murderously, "Where is the CODEX?" He roared, "Where has _he_ hidden it?"

J'onn swallowed, fearing death was to claim him eminently. Then, he just had time to hear Kal approaching, as if coming out of nothing. He was so fast. J'onn turned his head gratefully, barely seeing his brother blur past him into Zod's form, smashing into the General of Krypton with enough force to shatter every window in the house that wasn't already destroyed from when Zod tossed the truck.

They both disappeared.

He stood up unsteadily, looking warily at the other Kryptonians. They didn't pay him any mind and were looking in the direction that Zod disappeared. A grain silo exploded and J'onn knew that Kal was angry, not in control.

Diana suddenly landed beside him, sword in one hand and a Kryptonian rifle in the other, gazing at him critically, "Are _you_ alright?"

J'onn unconsciously rubbed his still healing neck, "I'll be fine, what _happened_ to you?" Her mind was a jumbled mess of torture, fear, and kissing his brother! Although J'onn _really_ wanted to find about about that kiss, he knew now wasn't the time.

"Later," She stared at the blazing silo in distress, "He's too _angry_ to think straight." She said softly. Another explosion sounded, rising above the silo and J'onn suspected the gas station had just erupted.

"No, he isn't," He concurred.

The female Kryptonian turned around and her face-mask became invisible. A beautiful woman stared back at them, features narrowing in displeasure. He saw Diana tense in rage, " _Faora_ ," She growled.

" _Diana_ ," Faora sneered in contempt, "I guess I shouldn't be surprised that _you_ escaped," She smirked and then blitzed into Diana so quickly J'onn didn't even see her move.

Diana flew into the barn, shattering wood and metal beams like they were paper. She hurled through the other side and disappeared into the field. J'onn turned to look back at Faora. She smiled and then punched J'onn across the face so hard he felt almost every bone in the right side of his face and head _shatter_. He flew into the destroyed house, slamming into the discarded truck, fires raging around him, quickly falling unconscious.

The last thing he heard was Faora barking orders, "Quickly! General Zod could possibly be in trouble!"

Then, the sweet release of darkness.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal had never felt _such rage._ He knew his eyes were blood red, signifying the blood he wanted to watch drain out of Zod's corpse. When he was speaking with Diana about the _sudden_ disappearance of the ship, he heard Zod roar, 'Where is the CODEX?' and he clearly heard the sound of his brother's two hearts skyrocket. He took to the skies, arriving at the scene in less than a second. When he saw J'onn laying on the ground, obviously in pain with Zod looming over him like a monster, Kal screamed. He slammed into Zod's body with _power_ , taking the seasoned General by surprise and hailed continuous punches - hard enough to shatter mountains - into Zod's shocked face. He shoved the General of his race into the wheat field, creating an enormous trench.

"YOU THINK YOU CAN THREATEN MY BROTHER?" He roared, unleashing his heat vision and effortlessly tearing through the Smallville Grain Silo. He heard the explosion but didn't think to consider what he was doing. He was _too_ angry. He looked up and the two Kryptonians immediately smashed into a gas station, magnificent flames rising to the sky. Kal saw Zod stand up, his face-mask was cracked. Kal could hear the strange sound the mask was emitting, obviously trying to repair itself, but failing. It seemed to cause Zod pain as he fell to his knees in agony, the mask completely gone.

Then, Kal understood, "My parents taught me to _hone_ my senses, Zod. To only listen to what _I_ wanted to hear. Focus on only what _I_ wanted to see." He stalked forward, a strange thrill rushing through his body at the sight of Zod's downed form, "Without your helmet, you're getting _everything._ "

Zod tried to move but his body could not respond. He was being overwhelmed by _everything_. He tried to speak but nothing came out. He could do nothing more than lay pathetically on the asphalt in absolute agony.

"And it _hurts_ , _doesn't it?_ " Kal growled out maliciously, taking a sadistic pleasure in watching his father's murderer and brother's would-be-murderer feeling _true_ pain.

Then, one of the Kryptonian ships appeared out of nothing and shot him. Agonizing pain spread throughout his chest like lava burning through his very blood. Kal suspected that blast would have killed any Kryptonian that was not under a yellow sun.

One armored Kryptonian exited the craft and immediately went to their commanding officer. He gripped Zod's flailing form and pulled him into the craft. Kal and Zod's eyes locked, hatred burning within both of their depths.

Kal did nothing but groan in pain - his chest was beginning to heal from _whatever_ they hit him with - as he watched the ship take off, going so fast even he himself had trouble following it.

He stood up, people were screaming and he could hear every latch and lock people have inserted into its place. They were terrified. Three Kryptonians stood on the other end of the street, waiting for him. He immediately recognized Faora, but the other two were behemoths, over nine feet tall. Clearly well-trained and _powerful_.

He had chosen the Earth over Krypton and the war for who will reside on the planet had begun.

XxXxXxXxXxX

General Sam Lane was seething. He looked calm on all outward appearances, but that couldn't be further from the truth. When that _alien_ 'Zod' hacked into _every_ technological equipment on the planet he couldn't believe it. Then, he finds out that an _alien_ has been hiding on _his_ planet for decades! How could he have _missed_ it? Clearly, this _alien_ was dangerous if he was able to evade American Intelligence for so long.

Colonel Hardy had told him the story of how an alien ship in the Arctic had risen from its slumber in the ancient ice like a fallen deity returning to cleanse the Earth. Lane had duties in Washington, otherwise, he would have been at the Arctic. Earlier he was given confirmation from Swanwick that this 'Kal-El' had surrendered to the US military at one of their secret bases, with Wonder Woman with him! Why would _she_ be with _him_? He never liked Wonder Woman. She might be able to fool everyone else with her striking, attractive features and body, but not Sam Lane. He _knew_ she was going to be trouble the second she entered into the media's attention. She was clearly kin to this 'Kal-El' and kept his existence a secret from the government. She was a traitor!

Now, he had been given permission from the higher-ups in the Pentagon to use _deadly_ force on these _aliens_ that had attacked a small town in Kansas. Lane looked out the chopper and picked up the radio, "All clear, this is Guardian. I am the airborne commander of this mission. The beings we are about to encounter are _very_ dangerous and we have been authorized to use deadly force." He held the radio in his palm, waiting for a response.

" _Roger, Guardian. We are inbound to the targets, the missile-lock range is eminently approaching. Over,"_

"Understood, may God be with you, soldiers." Lane sat the radio back into the holster, critically gazing at the smoke rising from what looked like a gas station. Colonel Hardy sat next to him, piloting the chopper.

They could see four beings, one in blue with a ridiculous red cape, and the others in _very_ advanced armor. Then, Wonder Woman suddenly landed next to the man in blue - so, that was 'Kal-El' - and drew her swords out of her sheaths, obviously aligned with Kal-El.

Sam Lane glared at that _woman_ , that traitor! She was supposed to be on _their_ side! If she was not with them, she was against them.

Wonder Woman was now the enemy.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Bruce Wayne was nervous. It was very foreign to him. He hasn't been nervous since the night his parents died, he wouldn't allow himself. Now, he couldn't quell the fear that was rising within his mind. He was about to face god-like beings with only his Batsuit and Utility Belt. He had nothing else, no plan, no weaknesses, _nothing_.

From his time acquainting himself with his teammates, he had built a dossier on all their weakness' and the best contingency plans to eliminate them if they turn rogue.

Hal Jordan's ring is, by the Lantern's own words 'the most powerful weapon in the universe.' Its power is only limited by his own imagination. From conversations, Hal had revealed that the ring could never be separated from its bearer unless by death and that the rings natural defenses prevented any direct attack. After contemplation, Bruce realized that Hal needed to _see_ what he was doing with the ring, what he was making constructs of and because of the natural defenses of the ring, an attack to his vision would not yield any results. After much hypotheses, he discovered that a post-hypnotic suggestion could be implanted into Hal Jordan's psyche, causing him to _believe_ himself to be blind. Then, the ring would _make_ him blind, enforced by his _own_ willpower.

Diana was a good friend, the only one he truly had beside Alfred. It would be difficult to face her in combat, it was not a thought he relished. If she _did_ turn rogue, then if she was somehow convinced that she was fighting against an equal opponent, she could theoretically be trapped in a never-ending fight against a phantom opponent. Exhaustion would inevitably poison her limbs and mind resulting in death. He had no idea how he would make Diana trapped in that type of fight, further investigation was necessary.

Wally West was a young man, just entering manhood. He could be easily swayed to betray the League. If that does unfortunately happen, then a specially designed bullet that he created, called the "vibra-bullet" would need to be shot into Wally's neck - the back of it. This would cause him to experience seizures faster than he could run and heal.

Oliver Queen was the most similar to Bruce. He felt a certain kinship with the Queen scion; both had no powers and relied solely on their wit and physical discipline. If Oliver became a threat, immobilization of one of his arms would be beneficial in stopping him.

Arthur Curry was a strong being and had the might of Atlantis behind him. If ever necessary, an altered form of Scarecrow's fear toxin could render Arthur aquaphobic. Without water, he would die. Approximate time to death requires more research.

He didn't have _any_ such plan for these Kryptonians. He was going into the lion's den unprepared and he didn't like those odds. He didn't have a plan and men without plans fail. He could _not_ fail again - not after his parents and Jason!

Waller had utilized the agony matrix briefly, telling him she needed to talk. Apparently, the aliens had flown into a small town in Kansas. She wanted the League there immediately.

Hal was carrying him, Oliver, and Arthur in a bubble while the Lantern flew to Kansas. Wally was on the ground, streaks of lightning trailing him.

Nobody had any clue what they were going to face, but Bruce knew that it was going to be bad.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal walked towards the Kryptonians - one vs three! He was outnumbered, outmatched, and most of all, he was scared. He was the only thing standing between the humans and extinction. Kal was trying to determine the best solution to fight _all_ of them when he heard Diana approaching. She landed next to him, swords drawn in preparation for battle.

"Faora's _mine_ ," She growled out, staring at the female Kryptonian in loathing.

"Alright, I'll get the other two..." He heard military jets darting through the sky. He turned around, Diana in tow, just to see the advanced machine guns roar. Diana raised her bracers, deflecting the bullets. He didn't know why they were shooting at _them!_ They were on their side! He could see their attack against _him_ , but not Diana. She was a part of the Justice League. Been known to the world for over a year.

Bullets ricocheted off of him and he winced at the sound of bullets embedding themselves in the street, concrete ripped open from the sheer force.

Faora moved out of the way, a blur to all but Kal. The other behemoths were slow, bullets pelting their armor, the force of the bullets enough to shove them back several feet.

" _Thunder one-one, good hit! Request immediate re-attack,"_ Kal heard a man order into a radio on the chopper, as the jet flew around, adjusting itself for another hail of bullets.

" _Roger, Guardian! We're commencing further-"_ Kal watched in shock as Faora appeared on the jet, crashing into the hull, ripping the pilot's head off - blood splattering against the clear glass - and the jet lost control, crashing into the street, raging fires erupting from the burning gas.

"I got _her_! Take care of _them_!" Diana flew off, smashing into Faora's form, headed towards the IHOP. Kal stared at the two behemoths who had risen to their full height, towering above Kal's form. They both stretched and took off, cement shattering like egg-shells under their strength. Kal saw what they were about to do as they both jumped.

They were going to replicate Faora's attack.

Just when the pilots of the other craft _knew_ they were going to die, Kal crashed into both of his kin's forms before they hit the plane. They all fell into the street, crashing through cars, and landing in the burning remnants of the plane that Faora downed.

One of the behemoths landed on top of Kal. He tried to escape, but the Kryptonian rose and began punching, sonic booms echoing from each hit that connected with Kal's face. One of the punches hit the House of El, _"You can save all of them,"_ His father's certainty in his abilities filled Kal with hope. He moved his head and a fist busted through the ground. Kal brought his knee up, slamming into his adversary, he spun around and brought up an elbow into the behemoth's helmet. The Kryptonian flew back into one of the cars and rose up growling audibly.

"You betray us, Kal-El!" He said, stalking forward, "You are a disgrace to our people." He looked above Kal and the Son of El knew that the other one had recovered and was standing right behind him, " _Now_ , Car-Vex!"

Before he could react, arms wrapped around him, lifting him high in the air and then smashing him into the cement.

"Nam-Ek!" The one holding Kal roared, slamming his fists into Kal's chest, small earthquakes erupting from the blow. Nam-Ek crashed into Kal with a roar of aggression - more animal than intelligence, knee slamming into his chest, creating a small trench.

Car-Vex's leg came inches away from Kal's head before he blocked it, making the other Kryptonian stumble. He caught Nam-Ek's fist that was headed towards his face. Car-Vex gripped Kal's head, trying to distract him.

Kal saw only one possible solution to the situation. His eyes glowed with power, demonic red, the color of blood, "ARGHH!" He yelled, unleashing his heat vision in a way he had never done before. He turned his head catching both Nam-Ek and Car-Vex with the blast. They roared in pain, jumping back.

Kal stood up quickly, eyes noting the damage his attack had caused. Their armor was melted at the sternum but upon closer look, the armor was _healing_ itself. He watched in shock as the metal stretched out, liquid-like, and smoothed itself over the _wound._ After several seconds, the armor looked completely new, not a scratch.

How was he supposed to defeat them with that armor?

"Pick on someone your own size!" A voice shouted from behind the three Kryptonians. Kal turned around in shock, wondering who was insane enough to wander into the battlefield.

It was Wally West.

"Stay back!" He cried out, hoping the kid would listen, but knew it was pointless. Wally smirked, body vibrating with blue lightning and blurred. Kal's eyes followed as the Flash zipped towards Car-Vex delivering 10 lightning-fast punches. He immediately raced back, stopping next to Kal, holding his hands in pain. Kal could see that they were fractured. Car-Vex hadn't even flinched.

"Ow! How is that possible?" Wally was staring at Kal in something akin to loss.

"Wally, I _need_ you to try and minimize the damage as much as possible, okay? Evacuate the city," He saw Wally's eyes widen at the use of his real name, but he recovered remarkably well, "Just think of some-" He saw eyes painted in fear and he pushed Wally out of the way as he felt two fists smash into his head with enough force to shatter the concrete beneath him.

Kal went flying into a car down the street, looking up to see Nam-Ek jumping towards him. He met the behemoth midway, punching him in the jaw and followed up with a hook to his face. He heard the other Justice League members arrive. Nam-Ek countered his punch and used his other hand to chop his neck, and then grabbed his cape, slamming Kal into the ground.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Bruce Wayne stared at the carnage of Smallville, Kansas with a furious expression. Oliver Queen was next to him, eyes wide.

"I'm seeing this, but I'm having trouble believing it." The Queen scion muttered in disbelief. Bruce had to concur with his fellow billionaire; what they were witnessing was simply inconceivable. They had both seen some incredible feats being teammates with Diana and facing Mongul, but this was on a _whole_ other level.

Cement was being crushed like paper by these Kryptonians, sonic booms erupting from every punch thrown. Craters littered the street as buildings were toppled in flaming wreckage. Bruce had thrown every batarang, lasers, explosives, and Electroshock weapons he had; none of them even scratched the _alien_. Oliver had shot several arrows capable of killing, by explosion, an entire herd of elephants and the results were the same. The only ones who could even stand a chance against them were Wally, Hal, and Arthur; they were being batted aside easily like a man would throw around a child's toys. Bruce felt useless, he _hated_ feeling useless - like the night his parents were murdered! Just like Jason!

"Soldiers are approaching, Bruce." Oliver gestured to the fallen wreckage of the military fighter jet. Soldiers on foot steadily approached, weapons ready.

Bruce growled, "That fool! What was Lane thinking?"

"They're all going to be slaughtered," Oliver breathed.

"We'll have to minimize that somehow," Bruce frowned, "We need to work on getting civilians to safety and helping the wounded." They also needed to work on a strategy to kill those _aliens!_

Oliver nodded, "Are you sure- Oh _shit_!" He exclaimed, "The chopper's going down!"

Bruce looked up and just as Oliver said, the helicopter was spinning out of control, heading towards the ground. The soldier gripping the door fell out and Bruce knew there was nothing he could do to prevent that man's unfortunate death - just like he could do nothing when his parents died!

Bruce's eyes widened as the alien in blue, with the 'S' on his chest - so that was Kal-El - appeared out of nothing, catching the soldier before his inevitable death. The alien said something and Bruce watched as the behemoth blurred forward. Kal-El gently pushed the soldier aside as the other Kryptonian slammed a fist into his face, smashing him to the other end of the street.

" _We're going in hard! Brace for impact!"_

" _Guardian is down, I repeat, Guardian is down!"_

Bruce heard the declaration from the soldiers' radios, "Come on!" He yelled toward Queen, "They might still be alive!" They ran towards the downed helicopter, fearing the worst.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal risked a look at Car-Vex. The League was holding him off but it was noticeable to everyone that they were being batted aside like children. He _needed_ them to hold Car-Vex off for a little longer, keep him contained while Kal dealt with Nam-Ek.

The behemoth landed on Kal's chest, feet extended for maximum output. Kal groaned. _That_ was painful. He unleashed his heat vision once more, catching Nam-Ek off guard. He used the distraction and slammed his hands into the legs of his adversary. They buckled slightly and Kal did it again, making the elder Kryptonian stumble off Kal. He tried to fly away but Nam-Ek caught Kal's legs, gripping them tightly and slammed him back into the street, body effortlessly breaking through the ground like paper.

Kal bent his knees and extended them outward in a blur, crashing into Nam-Ek's armored body, sending him flailing into one of the buildings.

A roar of animalistic fury sounded from the building as Nam-Ek stalked out. Kal was ready. He blitzed the bigger man, throwing consecutive punches so fast Nam-Ek couldn't even react. Kal continued his assault, ducking under the behemoths wild punch and gripped the man by the waist, pulling them both to the skies. Kal spun the man around like a top and punched him into the Smallville Railhouse, massive explosions erupting.

He looked back at the League. Soldiers were dead everywhere from Car-Vex's hands. Bodies were crushed, mutilated, and ripped in half. Car-Vex had Wally slung around his shoulders, and gripped Arthur's trident, the bolts of energy from the weapon having no effect on him. His kinsman slammed Arthur into the ground and Wally soon followed, landing on top of Arthur. Hal Jordan had wrapped constructs around the warrior, compressing them together with _all_ his willpower. Car-Vex grunted and shattered the constructs, leaping towards Hal. The Lantern realized his mistake: he was too close. Nam-Ek smashed into Jordan, sending the former pilot into the ground. Nam-Ek didn't give Hal any time to recover; landing on the Lantern's right arm, effortlessly shattering the bone.

 _Crack!_

Kal heard the bone being ground into dust and bull-rushed his fellow Kryptonian. Right before Car-Vex smashed his foot into Hal Jordan's face, undoubtedly landing a fatal blow, Kal punched the warrior into the street. Continuing his attack relentlessly, body moving so fast he was invisible to all but Wally West. Car-Vex stumbled back, and Kal roared, creating multiple sonic booms as he smashed his fist into the behemoth's helmet. He felt the metal crack and he knew he broke through. Before the armor could repair itself, Kal rushed forward and squeezed his fingers into the helmet, ripping it apart off Car-Vex.

The effect was instantaneous. Cerulean blue eyes met dark hazel. Agonized eyes stared back at Kal, the soldier's mind being overwhelmed by _everything_ his senses were flooding in. Car-Vex glared defiantly at Kal, " _Traitor!_ You are a disgrace to your kin, Kal-El… A _deformity_ to your culture, your people." He passed out from the assault on his senses.

"Blue! Watch out!" Oliver Queen shouted and Kal turned around just in time to see one of the trains slam him into the Sears building, explosions shaking the earth.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana slammed into Faora's form, roaring in anger. This woman had tortured her, mocked her, and she _needed_ to suffer as she made Diana suffer. She didn't see where they were going until it was too late. The IHOP seemingly appeared out of nowhere, Diana and Faora effortlessly tore through the concrete, flying into the restaurant in a shower of dust and overturned tables.

Diana stood up, looking around. The disbelieving eyes of Pete Ross met her own. She opened her mouth to warn him but a fist smashed into her face, tossing her into the wall.

She dashed forward, intent on doing the same, but Faora dodged out of the way.

"You are weak, _Diana_." She mocked, "The fact that you possess a sense of morality and we do not, gives _us_ an evolutionary advantage," Faora jumped out of the way as Diana's Sword almost cleaved her in half. She continued her monologue, "And if history has proven anything…" The Kryptonian attempted to punch Diana but she countered with an elbow to the face, followed by a kick to the side. Faora stumbled back and smirked at Diana, "It is that evolution _always_ wins."

Diana narrowed her eyes. She was _through_ with this woman! She unhooked her lasso and held it in one hand and her sword in the other. She leaped forward, Sword cutting through the air in a diagonal arc. Faora leaned out of the way, bringing her foot to kick Diana, but the Lasso was instead wrapped around the Kryptonian's foot.

Diana smiled, "Now, _you_ are trapped."

Faora raised an eyebrow, unimpressed, "Not really, _Diana."_ She narrowed her eyes, "I've studied all of Kal-El's allies and would-be allies, do you _truly_ think _you_ are worthy of him, _Diana_? Of Kryptonian blood?"

Diana yanked the Lasso towards her, slamming her fist into Faora's face. The Kryptonian only laughed, "Did I pull some strings, _Diana?"_

"That is _not_ your decision to make, Faora! Kal is free to choose! You overstep your bounds!" Diana clenched the Lasso.

"Kal-El is not of you or of this world, _Diana_. He is Kryptonian!" She suddenly gripped her end of the Lasso and yanked.

Diana was unprepared and was sent flying towards Faora who spun around and slammed her foot into Diana's head.

She slammed into the kitchen wall, blood began streaming out of her head. She winced. _That_ hurt. She stood up and attempted to blitz Faora. The Kryptonian wrapped the Lasso around Diana's neck, "You are _weak, Diana!"_ She hissed.

"Leave her alone!" Pete Ross stood up from behind the counter, glaring at Faora.

"Arrogant _human,_ "

"She's my friend and so is Clark and J'onn. Leave them alone and leave _us_ alone."

Diana stared wide-eyed at Pete. He had shown tremendous strength by standing up to Faora. _That_ filled her with strength. She jammed her elbow into Faora's side, she let go of the Lasso _slightly_ , but enough. Diana freed herself and swung her sword around. Faora leaned back but the Sword cut through the breastplate. Triumph spread through Diana until she saw the armor _heal_ itself.

"Close, _Diana_ , but not close enough." Faora mocked and blurred forward.

Diana moved to the right, bringing her fist into the side of Faora's head, smashing her into the wall.

"Pete get you and everyone else out of here!" She yelled, advancing towards Faora. The woman attempted to get up but Diana shot lightning at her. After waiting several seconds to make sure the building was evacuated, she dug deep and _unleashed_ her power. Blinding light filled IHOP as Diana's lightning increased in potency, unleashing it in a way she had never dared. Diana couldn't stop, it felt _good_ to actually let it out. She wasn't just unleashing her lightning, but her grief, rage, and loneliness were added into the mix. It was cathartic.

The charged atmosphere grew, encompassing the room until it exploded in a shower of electricity.

Diana was blown back as the entire IHOP exploded. She shielded her face as mountains of concrete pelted her. Soon, it was over. She looked at Faora's agonized form. Her lightning had destroyed the breather and Faora's eyes were wide with hatred and pain, "You will not win, _Diana."_ Faora growled, eyes alight with promise, "For every human you save, we _will_ kill a million more." She closed her eyes and screamed in pain.

Diana didn't understand what was happening. She knew it had to do something with the breather, but couldn't fathom why the removal would cause _such_ pain. Kal didn't need the breather. Despite herself, she felt sympathy for her torturer. She blurred forward, showing mercy by smashing her fist into the side of Faora's head with all her strength. Faora weakly glared at her and Diana slammed her foot into her head, finally knocking her unconscious.

Diana slumped next to Faora's form. She was _exhausted!_ She's never felt this tired before in her life. She closed her eyes for a second and let her body rest - _rest is a weapon, Diana! Never forget! -_ while remembering her mother's teachings.

She looked at Faora's unconscious form and slung the woman over her shoulder, intent on bringing her to Kal. She flew to where she last saw Kal and what welcomed her was chaos. The street was torn asunder, buildings crumbled, and soldiers' blood ran through the streets. Her teammates, Arthur, Wally, and Hal were unconscious, Bruce and Oliver trying to rouse them.

Kal was staring down at one of the behemoths. She felt relief that he won and pride, he had defeated _very_ skilled warriors. Her eyes widened when she saw a train headed towards him. She opened her mouth to warn him, but Oliver beat her to it. Kal took the train straight to the face and was pushed inside a Sears building, incredible explosions erupting. She blurred forward, dropping Faora in the middle of the street, more concerned about Kal. She entered the building when she felt the second explosion. It knocked her off her feet.

The military must have bombed the town.

She screamed, turning around to see the carnage in the streets. Were her teammates dead? She jumped out of the building, two Kryptonians were carrying Faora and one of the behemoths. She stood to stop them but saw the protective construct surrounding her teammates. She flew to Hal and touched the barrier, it shattered like glass and she assessed her teammates in concern.

Hal was barely conscious, arm broken and lacerations littered his body. Wally's leg was broken and his hands were as well. He stared weakly up at her. Arthur had multiple contusions. She glanced up when Bruce and Oliver stood next to her, solemn at the destruction polluting the air around them. Nobody said a word, helping their teammates to their feet, Diana had to carry Wally. The remaining military stalked towards the Sears building, intent on killing the _alien._ Diana stepped forward but Oliver put his hand on her shoulder.

"Wait," He said simply, staring at the soldiers.

Diana glared at him but trusted his judgment. Colonel Hardy was at the forefront of the soldiers, no gun in hand. The wreckage began to move and Kal stepped out into the light, unharmed but weary. He stared at the soldiers calmly, yet almost brokenly. The soldiers parted like the sea, lowering their weapons, allowing Kal to exit the building. Colonel Hardy met him and stared at him critically, eyes alight with realization, "This man is not our enemy." He breathed.

Kal's relief was tangible, " _Thank you_ , Colonel." He floated towards where the League was. He smiled sadly at Diana, "Come on, take them to the house. I need to check on J'onn." He bolted into the sky, cracks spreading through the concrete.

"How do you know that guy?" Wally asked in awe, his leg was almost healed.

Diana sighed and knew they all had questions that needed to be answered.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal landed in his yard, bolting into the burning house, "J'onn!" He screamed, eyes scanning the house. He found his brother slumped forward against the truck. His form was gray and he couldn't hear either of his brother's hearts beating. He gently picked up J'onn and blurred out of the house, laying his brother into the grass. He desperately tried to look for any wounds and found a massive bruise on his neck. His skull on the right side was mostly shattered. None of those wounds are what had killed him though.

Fire.

The fire had killed his brother, his weakness had killed him. Kal shook, grief, rage, and _hate_ boiled within his blood, demanding vengeance. He felt a monster roar to life within him, in his spirit, a monster capable of destroying entire worlds. He heard Diana and the League land but he didn't care. He let his grief out. He roared, the monster within growing in tandem with his rage, his _power._ The ground shook and the League was placing their hands over their ears in a desperate attempt to save the function of their ears.

"Kal!" Diana landed next to him, seeing J'onn, "No," She breathed. Kal felt his eyes burning and he opened them unleashing his heat vision into the sky, roaring in power as he did so.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana flinched away from the _sheer_ heat and closed her eyes in response to the blinding light. She could feel her arms beginning to blister and crack. She imagined that's what sunburn must feel like.

J'onn was dead.

She felt responsible. She let Faora get the drop on her and when she flew to the town she didn't even think of J'onn. Now, J'onn's gray form haunted her and Kal's reaction was heartbreaking.

Then, it was quiet. She looked at Kal, he was staring at his brother brokenly. She kneeled next to him and pulled him into a hug. He didn't respond and Diana clutched him as tight as she could, placing her face in the crook of his neck.

Then, she felt _it_. Kal had placed his head on her shoulder and Diana felt cold. She pulled back and Kal looked at her blankly. She stared at her shoulder. Ice coated her armor and neck. She stared at the ice and looked at Kal in shock.

Kal blinked, mind processing what he was witnessing. He looked at his hand and _blew_. Hurricane-force winds slammed into Diana and she gripped Kal's shoulder in surprise. Kal blew harder and ice coated his hand. Then, the wind was gone.

Kal stared at his hand and looked determinedly at his brother. He inhaled and Diana realized what he was doing. He blew ice all over J'onn, coating him with layers of freezing ice colder than the Arctic.

"What are you doing?" Wally had zipped over and stared at the spectacle in awe.

Kal stopped and stared at his brother's form, "My brother is kin to a race that hails from ice. Their planet was _far_ colder than the Arctic of Earth. Any exposure to that temperature from a human will almost instantly kill them. Hopefully being frozen will heal him." He said flatly.

Diana swallowed and looked to the League. All of them stared at J'onn's frozen form solemnly. Wally had healed and Arthur was still healing. Hal had constructed a cast for his broken arm with his ring.

Kal tilted his head to the side and immediately blew more ice onto J'onn's form. Diana watched in awe as J'onn's gray form turned green, becoming more healthy.

He was healing.

"I know how to stop Zod." Diana looked at Kal, "Once your brother heals, I'll share it,"

He nodded and stared at his brother's frozen body. For several seconds, all was quiet until Diana felt a searing pain in her head. She dimly noticed her teammates clutching their heads and Kal remaining unaffected. He stood up and punched through the ice. A green hand gripped his own and Kal pulled J'onn out of the ice.

Then, the pain stopped and everyone looked at J'onn in shock. He winced, "Sorry, I lost control for a bit."

"For a bit?" Bruce stepped forward, glaring at J'onn, "You could have killed us!"

"My apologies, Bruce Wayne. I can do nothing to change what just happened."

Kal cut in, "What happened? How did you…" He demanded.

J'onn looked at the house, "Faora," He said simply and Diana immediately understood. That woman! She wished to shoot her with lightning again.

"How do we stop them?" Arthur asked.

Diana didn't know how comfortable Kal and J'onn were with her sharing information that was _theirs_. She looked at J'onn and tried to convey him to read her mind. His eyes glowed minutely and he nodded in understanding of her dilemma.

"Go ahead, Diana." He encouraged.

Diana breathed out slowly, "Okay, Zod's ship uses something called a Phantom Drive, it bends space itself. The ship that Kal and J'onn arrived in uses the same technology. If we can cause the two drives to collide, a black hole will be created."

Wally was awestruck, "Wow! So, we're pretty much bombing them with your guys' ship."

Hal and Bruce looked _very_ interested in the technology of the ship. Diana _really_ didn't like the gleam in Bruce's eyes.

"No, Oa is receiving _none_ of our technology." J'onn stared directly into Hal's eyes.

"The Guardians aren't going to like that," He warned.

Kal snorted, "The Guardians can kiss my ass. They're _never_ touching Kryptonian tech." His eyes glowed threateningly.

Hal raised his hands in appeasement, "Alright,"

Diana grabbed Kal's hand, "We _will_ stop them."

Kal smiled almost sadly and didn't say anything. He looked up at the sky, eyes staring at Black Zero orbiting the Earth. He squeezed her hand and she squeezed back.

The final battle for dominion over the Earth has yet to come.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Zod stalked into the bridge of the ship, anger wafting off his form in overwhelming waves. His loyalists swiftly moved out of his way and the only one arrogant enough to speak up was Jax-Ur.

"What happened?" The swine demanded, nasally voice grating in Zod's ears.

He growled out without turning around, " _He_ exposed a _temporary_ weakness," He grit out through clenched teeth. That _boy_ was a fool! How could Jor-El - the smartest being he's ever met - produce such an imbecile? Kal-El chose the humans over his own kin, his people.

"It is of little consequence," Jax-Ur grew louder, "because _I_ have located the Codex!" Arrogance seeped from the Thinker's posture, ego growing to become as large as Rao.

"Where is the Codex?" Zod asked calmly, staring at the pathetic squalor of a planet Kal-El wished to save.

Fool.

Jax-Ur stood taller, lusting for praise, "It was _never_ in the capsule," He began almost condescendingly, "Jor-El took-"

Zod whirled around and stalked towards the pathetic man he calls kin and wrapped his hand around Jax-Ur's thin neck, effortlessly hoisting the man in the air, "You will say his name with respect! Jor-El was my best friend! A Thinker in the likes of ways _you_ could never be! If I _ever_ hear an _ounce_ of _anything less_ than respect or awe out of your - or anyone else's - mouth, I _will_ have _no_ qualms about killing you." He let go of the petrified Jax-Ur, the swine fell to his knees before him, "Do I make myself clear?" Zod hissed, eyes blazing with the promise of death.

Jax-Ur swallowed, "Yes, most esteemed, General Zod."

Zod stepped back to his position overlooking the Earth, "Continue, Jax-Ur,"

The Thinker hesitantly began again, "Jor-El," He said in unwavering respect, "took the Codex, the DNA of a billion people, and then bonded it within his son's individual cells. All of Krypton's heirs living, hidden, inside one refugee's body."

Zod closed his eyes and laughed, "Well played, old friend. Well played," He murmured. What Jor-El had done was genius, to say the least. Then again, he wouldn't expect anything less from his best friend. He sobered and stared at the squalor he was going to rebuild Krypton on, "Does Kal-El need to be alive to extract the Codex?"

"No,"

The General of Krypton nodded. He would give the boy one last chance to see the error of his ways. If not, then Kal-El will die along with the humans of Earth and the Celestials.

Zod turned around, staring at his loyalists, "Release the World Engine! It is time for the rebirth of Krypton!" He roared, fist tapping his chest twice.

His loyalists roared in approval and reciprocated, beginning the process of Terraforming the Earth.

Krypton will rise again no matter the cost. Kal-El would either join him or die.

XxXxXxXxXxX

 **What did you think? Now, you know why Batman works for A.R.G.U.S. The contingency plans Bats has for his teammates are taken from the movie Justice League: Doom and the comics.**

 **These are the ages of all the League members:**

 **Bruce Wayne is 36 years old**

 **Arthur Curry is 34 years old**

 **Oliver Queen is 31 years old**

 **Hal Jordan is 30 years old**

 **J'onn is 28 years old**

 **Kal-El is 27 years old**

 **Diana is 25 years old**

 **Wally West is 19 years old**

 **Hope the fight scenes were at least decent. For me, they're** _ **very**_ **hard to write.**

 **In case you didn't see it from the beginning of the chapter, then: I saw the Justice League movie… Superman was** _ **amazing**_ **! He was the best part of the movie! I really liked Flash and Cyborg. I liked parts of Batman and Aquaman. I was disappointed in Wonder Woman. I** _ **really**_ **did not like the very** _ **sudden**_ **BM/WW that was** _ **forced**_ **into the film. Other than that, I thought it was a great movie, don't believe what the critics say. Go see the movie and create your own opinion.**

 **For those of you wanting the full Zack Snyder version of the film, the one without Whedon's or WB's hands in it, visit** **p/warner-bros-zack-snyder-s-director-s-and-tom-holkenborg-s-score-for-home-release-e90fef07-11c6-4a9a-9ae8-375c7717dafa** **to sign the petition.**

 _ **Stay Safe**_

 **ButtonPusher**


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own Justice League or any of the characters associated with DC Comics.**

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana and the League followed Kal and J'onn into one of the many fields. J'onn had explained that before Zod and his loyalists had arrived he had moved their ship because he knew Zod would come after it. Bruce and Hal refused to let Diana go along with the two brothers - against her wishes - and it was decided that everyone would accompany them.

Wally was chatting nonstop with Kal and Diana was relieved to see that the speedster seemed lighter than he had in months. Ever since Mongul almost killed him and was subsequently saved by Kal, Wally's self-esteem had declined rapidly. Now, Diana was beginning to see her friend, Wally re-emerge and she was so pleased to see it was because of Kal.

"How long have you known about _him?_ " Bruce growled in her ear, stepping closer in hopes of keeping their conversation quiet. It was too bad he didn't know Kal could hear everything in the entire country, "How long have _you_ been protecting _him?"_

Diana slowed slightly and Bruce reciprocated, their teammates passing by, "After the Mongul fiasco, I was away for a week, remember?"

"Yes,"

"I was in the Arctic, Waller assigned me to go because they found a 'foreign object' encased in 20,000-year-old ice. I was sent to make sure nothing bad happened. I met _them_ there, they were workers and I felt a kinship almost immediately."

"What happened?" Despite himself, it was obvious to her that Bruce was interested. She had no idea how much sway Waller held over him so she omitted some details.

"Later that night, I saw them outside with no protective clothes on, just jeans and a plain shirt. I followed them and I soon found myself inside the 'foreign object' which turned out to be an ancient alien ship. I found myself alone and was attacked by an Android and I know for a fact that I would have died if Kal hadn't saved my life."

Bruce frowned harshly, "Was the ship Kryptonian?" Diana nodded and the billionaire clenched his jaw, "So, _he_ is stronger than you?"

Diana thought about it, "I believe so. He took care of Mongul when _all_ of us couldn't, destroyed the Android that was going to kill me, and defeated those two Kryptonian behemoths." She had barely defeated Faora - they had been almost perfectly matched. She knew that, if she was being honest with herself, she would not have lasted long against the behemoths. She was proud of Kal that he had managed to defeat them.

Bruce cursed, "What are _his_ abilities?" He demanded, eyes blazing with something that Diana didn't want to think about.

"What do you think they are?" She asked carefully.

"He's strong, fast, durable, has a strange red energy beam, has ice breath, and can fly. He's basically a male version of you, but stronger and has no lightning. That sound correct?"

Diana nodded slowly, "That sounds right, Bruce." It wasn't a lie, just the truth from a different perspective and the omission of a few facts.

Bruce smiled darkly, it was _very_ disconcerting, "Good," He murmured.

Diana inched away from Bruce and saw J'onn stop. He looked at Kal, eyes glowing, and the Kryptonian nodded, staring at the ground. He kneeled down and gripped _something_ beneath the soil. Kal pulled and the ground cracked, lines spreading in every direction. Metal was seen for a brief second and then Kal yanked the object out, dirt spraying everywhere. Hal constructed a wall to block the projectiles.

A beautiful, yet obvious alien ship was in front of them. Kal looked at his brother, "Did you move the ground away?" He tapped his head, alluding to J'onn's psychic abilities.

J'onn simply nodded and stepped toward the craft. Kal did a strange motion on the metal and the craft opened.

Strange crystals, weapons, and what looked like tubes with animals within stared at the League.

Hal pinched his nose tightly, "The Guardians would do _anything_ for that stuff."

Bruce suddenly stepped in front of the others, "Are you planning to share this technology with Earth?" Diana was interested in the answer and based on her teammate's body language, they were too.

"No," Kal said simply, brusquely even.

Bruce tensed, "Why?"

Kal didn't even look at them. He was staring at something inside the ship none of them could see, "Humans are nowhere _near_ ready for this type of technology. They need to evolve on their own and make their own creations. If I - _we_ \- shared this technology, the humans would destroy themselves trying to acquire it. Wars would be fought and death tolls would rise. Think about the Cold War. America and Russia were superpowers and were always under the threat of mutually assured destruction because of the technology of nuclear fission and fusion." He said plainly.

Diana understood Kal's hesitation. Based on her experiences with A.R.G.U.S and President Luthor, humanity coveted technology above all else. She suspected that Waller had scanned her armor countless times trying to decipher where the metal had originated from.

Bruce didn't seem to share her sentiment, "You could contribute _so much_ to the world if-"

Kal interrupted, " _No_ , and my answer will remain the same, Batman." He looked at J'onn, "Terraforming will begin soon. We need to alert the military."

"Terraforming?" Arthur asked, Trident gripped tightly in his left hand. His armor reflected the sunlight into Diana's face.

"Zod will turn Earth into Krypton," J'onn said almost tiredly.

Bruce clenched his fists and gnashed his teeth together, "And how, pray tell, will _Zod_ do that?"

The lone Kryptonian on their side turned to stare at Batman, "A World Engine - a machine that my people used to colonize countless planets - works in tandem with their ship by altering the gravity of a planet and releasing foreign particles into the atmosphere, which also affects the topography. Eventually, everything and everyone not of Krypton will die."

Bruce cursed harshly and Diana felt chills descend down her spine from Kal's words.

Wally looked terrified and Diana didn't blame him. She was having trouble grasping the concept of _how_ powerful Krypton was. Their technology had proved to be more than a match for her on multiple occasions.

What would happen if they succeeded? Would she die? She would be able to survive the gravity for a few days probably before she perished from exhaustion because her muscles would become _so_ strained. She still had her breather and the Kryptonian Rifle - she left them in the barn after Faora caught her by surprise.

"Are all the Kryptonians like you?" Oliver asked, hand raised in an exaggerated motion, "Are they all strong, fast, and can fly? Shoot energy from their eyes and have that ice breath?"

Bruce attempted to act nonchalant; he was not successful, "How do your powers work anyway?"

Kal sighed and rubbed his forehead, "Potentially they do. Right now, my kin is just strong, fast, and durable. They have to learn the others."

Oliver whistled, "Boy, I guess all the legends about your race are true." He surmised, features tense.

"How do _your_ powers work?" Bruce demanded, tension clouding the atmosphere.

Diana didn't like Bruce's motives behind the question but knew it would be better for them all if Kal explained.

"We absorb sunlight. The younger the star, the more powerful we become." Kal said simply.

"How?" Bruce stepped closer, assessing Kal's body language.

"We evolved," Kal sighed, "My homeworld, Krypton was inhospitable. It was _very_ cold - almost as cold as J'onn's - _intense_ gravity and the food was scarce. My ancestors found a way to live by thriving off of sunlight itself and absorbing its energy, keeping them healthy."

Hal raised a brow, "So, you're like a solar panel?" He looked curious about Kryptonian history, probably because any knowledge of their race was _very_ limited in the universe.

Bruce shook his head, eyes gleaming, "No, he's not."

"What do you mean?" Diana asked in bemusement.

Bruce stared at Kal with a mixture of fear and awe, "A solar panel converts sunlight into electrical energy, that's _it_. What he - what _they_ \- can do is _far_ greater. Flying, speed that is almost equivalent - if not equivalent - to the Flash, strength that is superior to Diana's _and_ Mongul's, red energy beams, and the ice breath. _All of that_ would require _way more_ energy than _they_ could possibly absorb by just sunlight alone. He's using the sun itself to _generate_ energy!" He hissed, looking at Kal warily.

Kal nodded his head and Wally buzzed with excitement, "I get it!" The speedster zipped over and tried to sling his arm around Kal, "His cells are like a nuclear reactor! His body doesn't absorb and store the sunlight in his cells, he's _using_ the sunlight to produce an insanely superior amount of energy!"

"So, it's like how nuclear fusion powers a sun." Kal surmised.

"Your body is practically a star all on its own." Bruce mumbled angrily, "It just requires the sunlight of another star to create energy. Matter of fact, it even explains why you can fly. Space-time is bent or curved by matter." Bruce stared at Kal with anger, "It's why an apple falls to the ground and why the Earth falls around the sun. Einstein showed that it isn't only matter that bends space, but energy as well. If one somehow approaches the speed of light, one would need an infinite amount of energy, and thus, the mass itself would become infinite. Since your body is already a star on its own, your energy is essentially infinite. Although your mass isn't heavier than a couple hundred pounds, your seeming limitless energy allows you to warp space itself. Your species doesn't fly by mortal means; instead, you warp the space around you so that gravity itself would _never_ apply to you."

Diana could now easily understand why the Kryptonians were the 'Kings of the Universe.' It was incredible to hear how their race evolved and became the pinnacle of power, feared by all. Even the Celestials were afraid of them. Otherwise, they would have shown themselves and tried to attack Kal.

Bruce stalked up to Kal and glared angrily at him, "Where will the World Engine be released?"

Kal stared down at Bruce - he was almost half a foot taller, "Metropolis, it's the biggest city and most populated. Zod will want to make them suffer."

" _Why_?" Arthur asked.

"Because I chose _them_. I chose Earth over Krypton. I chose the humans over my race." Kal suddenly perked his head up and turned around, staring at something none of them could.

Diana stepped next to him, placing a hand on his arm, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"It's started." He breathed.

"Terraforming?" Hal asked, ring glowing bright green.

Kal nodded, "It's in Metropolis, the other one would be in the southern part of the Indian Ocean. I'll need to stop that one, all of you will need to stop the one in Metropolis. Diana will help you!" He bolted into the sky.

Diana leaped after him, tying her lasso around his foot, "Kal!"

He stopped at cloud level, "I need you to help the others."

She shook her head, "What about _you_? If the World Engine is changing Earth to become more like Krypton, wouldn't that weaken you?"

Kal smiled gently, "Probably, but that's not going to stop me from trying, Diana. We both know I'm the only person that can stop it."

She _did_ know that, but she still didn't like it, "Just come back, okay?"

"Okay," He surged forward and wrapped her in a fierce hug, arms wrapped around her back tightly.

Diana gripped his shoulders, hoping that he would succeed. Kal pulled back and stared at her for a moment.

Just as she was about to speak, he interrupted her by ducking down and slanting his lips over hers. His hands slowly moved up her back, over her neck and into her silky hair. He moved her head to the side. She understood and opened her lips, letting him in. A deep groan rumbled in his chest, she could feel it vibrate against her armor and into her breasts. His tongue was wet on hers, gliding in her mouth. It was almost desperate, trying to memorize the feel of her own. Diana moaned as she tasted him, his scent invaded her mouth, completing her. Heat pooled in her stomach, collecting into arousal, it made her knees feel weak. She slid her hand around his neck and felt the muscles within.

He pulled away reluctantly, "Good luck, Diana." He blurred away, going so fast she was certain that Wally would be envious. She touched her lips, still feeling the weight of his on her own, could still taste him. She shivered and licked her lips, trying to collect her racing thoughts. She floated for several more seconds, trying to catch her breath and appear calm to her teammates.

Diana landed by J'onn as he was explaining something to Oliver. She tried to pay attention but no matter how hard she did, she couldn't think of anything except Kal's lips on her own and the question of would she ever feel them again.

"The question we want to ask ourselves is, do we want to involve the military or A.R.G.U.S in this bombing?" Arthur pointed at the craft. She noticed it was barren, all of the treasures had been taken out and she had no idea what was done with them.

Wally shook his head adamantly, "If we do, they'll be slaughtered!" He shook in remembrance, "Remember what that behemoth did to the soldiers?" He shuddered, "He squashed them like ants."

Bruce was staring at the ship, "This is something we can do ourselves." He turned to face them, face pinched in malignity, " _We_ will kill these aliens." He growled, staring at the direction where Kal had disappeared to.

Diana was deprived of utterance, scarcely processing what Bruce had just said. He evidently loathed aliens. What would Bruce do when he discovered _she_ was one? Afterall, she had _never_ shared her origins with her teammates or A.R.G.U.S. She had never told the tale of _who_ she was and why she appeared randomly in the world. The only ones who know are all of the Kryptonians, Kal, J'onn, and Jor-El. What would happen if it was revealed that she was a Celestial? The daughter of Zeus and granddaughter of Aphrodite, more alien than human? Would her teammates ever trust her again?

"Hal, you will carry the ship and all of us with your ring to Gotham. I have a C-17 aircraft that should carry it." Bruce stalked off, "Let's go!" Wally zipped away after smiling briefly, Arthur glanced at J'onn and followed. Oliver shrugged and looked at Hal. The Lantern rolled his eyes and encompassed them and the ship in a spherical construct, carrying them away.

"J'onn and I will meet you there!" Diana shouted. Bruce just waved his hand dismissively.

"That was interesting." J'onn said, "Has Bruce Wayne always shown such disdain for aliens?"

Diana looked helplessly at J'onn, "I don't know…" She muttered truthfully. Bruce was such a grouch. It was hard to tell if he was being his usual self or if hatred had poisoned him. Now, she knew it was the latter.

"If he continues down this path, misery will meet him, Diana." He closed his eyes and levitated off the ground, "I'm going to return these to the house." Diana watched in shock as J'onn literally pulled the treasures out of his stomach. "I will meet you in Metropolis." He suddenly smiled, "You'll have to tell me about those kisses with my brother." Diana flushed and couldn't speak. J'onn chuckled and flew back to his home.

She stared out at the fields, winds whipped through the tall grass and Diana yearned for Themyscira. Maybe she'll take Kal there once the Kryptonians were sent back to the Phantom Zone. Yes. She'll show him her culture as he had shown her his own.

Diana closed her eyes as she thought of Bruce's hatred and paranoia. What was with him? "Why are you being this way, Bruce?" She asked aloud.

"He fears what he cannot control, daughter."

Diana whipped around, hands drawing her xiphos out of her sheathes. A handsome man was standing several feet away from her. He had curly black hair that reached just above his shoulders. He was barefoot and wore a white Grecian toga. A goatee coated his face and his eyes were flecked with tiny sparks of lightning.

Zeus.

Her eyes widened and then darkened into storm clouds, "What are _you_ doing here? What do _you_ want?" She growled, hands fisting her swords as she was _so_ tempted to cleave her father in half.

"I have come to see you, daughter. I will not harm you. You can put the sword down, Diana." Zeus held up his hands calmly.

Diana snarled, "You've never cared for my existence before. Why start _now, father_?"

"A father cannot check on the well-being of his daughter?"

"Not when he has never shown himself before! _You_ let my family be killed by _Ares_!" Diana felt tears prick her eyes, "I'm the last of the Amazons."

"I have been busy," Zeus said calmly, "I could not punish your brother or I would have risked a threat to my throne."

Diana leaped forward and tried to punch him, but her father easily evaded the blow, "Diana, you _have_ to destroy the Kryptonians and Kal-El." He finally shared his _true_ purpose for visiting her.

" _What?"_ She turned around, eyes blazing.

Zeus sighed, "I know that you know about the history of your lineage. You are a Celestial." Upon seeing no change in her expression he continued, " _They_ are a threat to us! We _must_ prepare for an _eradication_!" He crossed his arms over his chest imposingly.

Diana frowned, "I am _not_ killing Kal. He is a great man, far better than _you_!"

"He is Kryptonian!" Lightning sizzled over Zeus' body for a moment, "I can understand that he fascinates you, Diana. Ever since you lost your family you've been pining over _something_ to ease your grief. You think you have found it in _Kal-El_ but that is not true. You have another family."

" _Another_ family?" Diana didn't like where this conversation was going.

"Yes, your family of the divine. You carry Celestial blood, _my_ blood, Diana. You are the last of my line-"

"That _you_ know of!" Diana cut him off with a withering glare.

Zeus laughed loudly, "You truly _are_ _my_ daughter, Diana." Lightning crackled in response as Diana clenched her fists. Her father noticed and his eyes lit up, "So few of my children have ever possessed my lightning. Your brother, Ares is the only other of my children-"

"Don't say _his_ name! He slaughtered my mother and people!" Diana roared, lightning roaring in tandem.

"You don't belong with _him_ or the humans, Diana." Zeus pivoted back to requesting her to return with him to Olympus, "I can understand the need to mingle with them but you will _never_ be one of them."

"What's wrong with that?" Diana asked.

He frowned, "You won't age with them. You will never experience the feeling of weakness as your cells decay from elderly age. You are immortal, Diana! You will _always_ be different. Even your Amazon sisters saw that. They misunderstood you, daughter."

Diana closed her eyes as she was assaulted with the memories of childhood. She was stronger than anyone, could fly, and always felt different. She eventually learned why after her tribe's genocide. She was Zeus' daughter.

"The humans cannot comprehend what your inheritance is, Diana. They cannot comprehend what real power is. _You_ belong with _us_ , your family. On Olympus with your siblings and kin."

"If I go with you, the _moment_ I see Ares I _will_ kill him!" Diana hissed, twirling her sword in one hand and clenching her fist, lightning arcing in the other.

"I will not allow that, Daughter."

" _He_ killed all of them!"

"It doesn't matter. You will shove aside your differences while we deal with the threat of extinction. Come, Diana to where _you_ belong."

Diana changed tactics, "You really think your wife, Hera the vindictive, will be happy to see me?"

"Watch your tongue, daughter. My wife does not rule the Celestials, _I_ do. Now, stop this foolish behavior and join us on Olympus."

Diana shook her head, "No, my home is not Olympus. It's either Themyscira or _here_." She gestured to the farmland, "I am a hero and have been accepted."

"Really?" Zeus raised a black eyebrow, "Many fear you, your teammate Bruce Wayne included. That does not sound like acceptance, Diana."

"It doesn't matter because I will change their minds. I am happy here and nothing will change that."

Zeus looked furious, lightning sizzling all over his body, "You _dare_? You are of _my_ blood! Yet, you choose the Kryptonian - whose race was _so_ close to making yours extinct - over me, over us!"

Diana smiled, "Yes, you have never done anything for me, _f_ _ather_. My allegiance lies with Kal-El."

Zeus bristled and stretched his neck in an attempt to calm his rage. He looked down at Diana, "Soon, you will change your mind, Diana. You will cease to call this _squalor_ your home. You are young. Thus, you are ignorant, naive, and stubborn, among many other undesirable qualities. I expect in time, that your idealistic views will cease to hinder your judgment. _When_ you change your mind…" He suddenly tossed her something.

Diana reflexively caught it, it was circular with lines swirling inside and had buttons on the side, "What is this?" She looked up to find that she was alone.

Zeus was gone.

She sank to her knees. She had finally met her father. She had honestly thought she would never meet him. When Diana finally did, she had raged at him and he had not killed her like she expected. He had laughed and wanted her to join his family, claim her inheritance. What did he expect? She's never seen Zeus before. He let Ares go unpunished for the slaughter of the Amazon's. She knew she made the correct decision by supporting Kal, but Diana didn't know what to do about the Celestials. She suddenly yearned for her mother more than she had in months.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal refused to let defeat drown him as he stared at the World Engine. His father hadn't done the machine justice. Dark storm clouds with red lightning surrounded the gigantic machine with three powerful claws sinking into the ground. The ocean itself was being _held_ back by the machine. The World Engine had already started to change Earth into Krypton. He could _feel_ it. A part of his body welcomed it, while another was shying away. That was his natural environment. Yet, it was foreign.

He flew closer and the atmosphere clouded around him, welcoming its long-lost son. He coughed and bolted through the clouds, finding hundreds of yards of open space as the World Engine hammered away at the Earth.

Kal could feel gravity fluctuate, slamming down and then pushing up. He knew any military aircraft would _not_ function under the conditions. He focused his eyes, flying closer and saw the World Engine identify him as a threat.

A massive bowl of liquid geo opened up and tentacles with sharp protrusions rushed at him. Kal's eyes widened as he darted away, trying to evade the three tentacles and think of a way to stop the World Engine.

All of a sudden, countless other tentacles blitzed him, wrapping themselves around him with enough force to shatter mountains. He grit his teeth and struggled to break free. The tentacles, in response to his efforts, tripled the strength of its grip. Kal almost groaned. That must be what a bear hug felt like.

His eyes glowed red and he unleashed his heat vision at the liquid geo in front of him. He was rewarded when the geo shattered. He watched as the pieces flew back into the bowl of liquid geo and reformed itself, healing itself.

Kal roared as he broke free, punching every tentacle that attacked him, moving faster than he had ever moved before. He knew he couldn't keep this up forever, so he darted towards the World Engine, intent on flying through the liquid geo bowl and out the other side.

He didn't get the chance.

Right before he was to make contact, an ocean of liquid geo slammed into him, wrapping itself around him far tighter than it did previously. It was crushing him and the tentacles shot into the air, holding him hostage in the middle of the storm clouds. Red lightning smashed into his back and liquid geo pulled him down and tossed him directly into the gravity beam.

Kal was swallowed whole by the beam, floating for a second before he was slammed into the ground, gravity beam bearing down on him like the sky itself. He felt like an insect, he felt _weak_. He'd _never_ felt weak. He was pushed into the broken ground, becoming one with the soil of Krypton.

He was _so_ tired, he wanted to just let go. Then, he saw Diana and J'onn. The two people who understood him more than anyone. A memory assaulted his mind as time stood still, _"You're not just anyone, Clark, and I have to believe that you were sent here for a reason. All these changes you're going through, one day you're going to think of them as a blessing. When that day comes you're going to have to make a choice, Clark. Whether to stand proud in front of the human race or not."_

Kal heard Jor-El's words, _"You will give the people of Earth, an ideal to strive towards. They will stumble, they will fall, but in time they will join you in the sun, Kal. In time, you will help them accomplish wonders."_

He clenched his fists, standing up against the gravity beam as he tapped into a reservoir of energy he didn't know existed. The power he felt when he found J'onn's broken form returned, power that could destroy worlds. His body filled with energy and he knew it was time.

It was time to stand proud in front of the people of Earth.

Kal roared and exploded off the ground; gravity beam bearing down on him, becoming more intense as he flew higher. "ARGHH!" He screamed as he flew even faster, stronger. Kal smashed through the World Engine, tearing through the top.

The World Engine groaned and all three claws broke away, crashing into the now freed ocean. Kal floated towards a small island and rested. He'd never felt this tired in his life, physically he was drained. He wondered where the power in his reservoir was but didn't want to contemplate too much. He closed his eyes and felt his energy return.

He levitated off the island and shot forward. He would clean up the World Engine remnants later. He needed to make sure Metropolis and the League - J'onn and Diana most of all - were safe.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Zod waited anxiously for the Black Zero to determine the location of the ancient Scout Ship Kal-El had discovered. After releasing the World Engine, Zod knew his next step needed to include the Genesis Chamber. It was the key along with the Codex to rebuilding Krypton.

The liquid geo monitor flashed, indicating that the location for the Scout Ship had been deciphered. He turned to look at the readings for the released World Engine; the Earth was well on its way to becoming Krypton.

Zod turned to his sub-commander, "Faora!"

"Yes, General Zod?" Faora stepped next to him, nodding her head in respect.

"Take control, you are in command now."

"Of course, sir." She tapped her fist twice to her chest and Zod nodded his head in acceptance.

He turned around, "I need to secure the Genesis Chamber," He closed his eyes in sorrow, "and pay my respects to my best friend."

Zod commandeered one of the many small crafts he had scavenged from the withered colonies, inserting his Command Key and piloted the craft to what the humans called the Arctic. After several seconds, he tapped the Command Key and it flew into his hand. Zod exited the small craft and gazed triumphantly at the Scout Ship.

First, he needed to do something. He stared at the yellow sun, challenging it. Retracting his helmet, Zod needed to triumph over this weakness. Kal-El had defeated him previously because of his impotence. He _had_ to rectify that.

Immediately, his senses were bombarded with _everything_ and Zod fell to his knees in agony. It was _so_ much! How did Kal-El live with this pain? How did he master it? He felt slightly proud that his best friend's son had triumphed over an obstacle that would hinder most of their race; it was most impressive.

Zod's hands gripped his armor and he saw _through_ the metal, gazing upon the strong bones inside. He could smell aromas that nobody knew existed, see small particles floating around - he could see atoms themselves. The electromagnetic spectrum assaulted his eyes, new colors vibrant against the white snow. He could hear _everything_ , the wind howled far louder than anything he could imagine, the small ice crystals in the air rustled together, a military base on the other side of the Arctic had dozens of workers - their heartbeats were beacons of noise to his ears.

He slammed his eyes shut and clenched his fists. He was the General of Krypton. The finest soldier bred in the Genesis Chamber of his generation. He could _not_ allow this weakness to plague him! He was Kryptonian! The leader of what remained of his race. How was he supposed to rebuild Krypton if he couldn't do this one _simple_ thing?

Zod remembered Kal-El's words, _"...only listen to what I wanted to hear. Focus on only what I wanted to see_. _"_ He heeded the unintended advice and followed the 'instructions.' He focused on the essentials and ignored all of the inconsequential. Zod opened his eyes and serenity washed through his mind, easing all of his senses until they were mastered.

He smiled as he entered the Scout Ship, slipping the Command Key into the port before the Genesis Chamber. He stared at the embryos and was pleased to see that everything seemed functional, no damages had been sustained.

" _Command Key accepted. Genesis Chamber is coming online, General Zod of Kandor."_ The geo monitor alerted him.

" _Hello, old friend."_ A _very_ familiar voice greeted him. Zod smiled, turning around and felt elation at the sight of his best friend.

"Hello, Jor-El."

" _You don't have to do this, Zod. There is still time to stop."_ Jor-El stepped closer.

Zod chuckled, "You still haven't given up lecturing me," He closed his eyes and whispered, "even in death."

Jor-El stood next to him and gazed into his eyes. Somehow, the ghost of his best friend showed genuine emotion in his eyes, _"Without my help, you would have died long ago, old friend."_

"We used to jump off the ravines as children, sneaking out of the Academy. You saved me when the cliff suddenly collapsed." Zod recalled, "That was over 500 years ago."

" _That I did and now, I'm here to save you from making another perilous error."_

Zod narrowed his eyes, "Krypton needs to be rebuilt, Jor-El. _You_ recognized that. You saved our race when you stole the Codex. Without you, Krypton would be lost!"

" _Krypton will live again, Zod. You've seen the humans, read through their entire planet's history?"_

"Yes, what does that have to do with rebuilding Krypton?"

" _They are volatile, they kill each other, they are arrogant, but they are so much more, old friend. Who do they remind you of?"_

Zod realized what Jor-El alluded to, "So, they are similar to us. _They_ are insects compared to Krypton!"

Jor-El nodded, _"That is true, but they are also different than us. If we can show them the way, they might not make the same mistakes the High Council did."_

Zod bristled at the mention of those old hags, "Why should we care about them?"

" _Our two races can coexist, Zod."_

"Who has put these thoughts into your-" Zod's eyes widened in hatred, "The Manhunter! That fiend!" He stared at Jor-El intently, wanting to grab his shoulders but could not, "He did _this_ to you! I _knew_ something was wrong with you after Ma'aleca'andra! It makes _so_ much sense! That _fucking_ Manhunter poisoned your mind! He made you _this_ way! When you copied your consciousness into the Command Key, those poisoned thoughts were copied and probably augmented!" Zod slammed his fist into the wall, not noticing he punched through the material. He was too angry!

" _I saved J'onn of my own accord, old friend."_

"What?" Zod hissed, eyes blazing as he stared at the ghost of his best friend.

" _I saved him during the eradication of Ma'aleca'andra."_

"No, you didn't, Jor-El." Zod unthinkingly placed his hand on his friend's shoulder but it passed through in a flash of blue sparks. He pulled his hand back sadly, " _He_ poisoned your mind! I will kill that fiend and avenge you, old friend. I _swear_." He turned around, "Ship, have you managed to quarantine this invasive intelligence?"

The geo monitor flashed, _"Yes, I have, General Zod of Kandor."_

"Then, prepare to terminate this imposter." He said mournfully.

" _Zod!"_ Jor-El shouted, _"You don't have to do this! We can coexist!"_

"I am tired of this debate with you, imposter." Zod looked at his best friend one last time and tapped his fist on his chest twice. Jor-El seemed to deflate but he rose once again and reciprocated, tapping his fist on his chest twice. Zod swallowed and burned the image into his mind; he terminated his best friend's imposter A.I.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Bruce Wayne and his teammates stared at the Black Zero in shock. It was massive and floating above the city. A gigantic blue beam slammed into the ground with force; he could feel it in his bones from the air in his plane.

"It's exactly like he said," Wally pointed at the screen, "it's a gravity weapon and it's increasing the world's mass, clouding the atmosphere with particles." He threw his hands in the air, "We're being terraformed! This is insane! That thing looks like death itself! How are we going to stop it? What's going to happen to us?" He finished in a whisper.

"Based off these readings, if this continues for much longer, there will no longer be an us," Bruce informed him gruffly. He didn't see the looks of shock on everyone's faces at his bluntness. He was too busy staring at the carnage. Cars were being raised into the air and then crashed into the ground, looking like a pancake. Buildings were beginning to crumble and Bruce watched in rage as humans were being killed by the dozen every second.

"We need to get out there!" Wally shouted, "They need help!" Bruce concurred and handed the controls over to Oliver.

"You know how to fly it," He said, "Land near the civilians!" Oliver did just that and they all got out, except Diana and Oliver, "What are you doing?" Bruce shouted.

"I'm the only one who knows how the ship is supposed to react to the Command Key. Kal would never forgive me if something happened to J'onn. He's better off with you guys. He can help you! He'll locate civilians!" Diana said quickly.

Bruce frowned in malignity. How dare she? They needed her! He opened his mouth but Oliver interrupted him, "I'm the only one who knows how to pilot the craft beside you, Bruce. We'll be fine!" The Queen scion smirked and the engines roared, taking off.

Bruce clenched his fists, "Come on! Help the civilians! Split up!" J'onn followed Arthur, Hal flew from above, and Wally joined Bruce.

"How do we stop that _thing?_ " Wally sounded scared.

Bruce sighed angrily, "I don't know! Just help the civilians, Wally!" He felt bad for yelling at him but now wasn't the time for coddling.

Wally swallowed, "Okay, where do I put them?"

"Just think of _something!"_ He roared and ran in the opposite direction, towards Wayne Enterprises.

He could hear the beam slamming into the ground, the screams of innocents as they were raised into the air and then plummeted to their deaths. He saw an abandoned jeep and hopped in. The keys were left in the ignition and a cell phone was left in the cup holder. He ignited the engine and drove towards destruction, towards the heart of Metropolis. He knew that the others weren't focused on the heart, they were helping the civilians already escaping escape further. It was up to him to help the civilians up ahead. Maybe, Wally would as well.

Clouds of dust flooded through the streets as the beam destroyed the earth. He turned a corner and gunned it.

He plucked the phone from the cup holder and called Jack, the president of the building in Metropolis.

He heard the tell-tale sign of someone answering their phone and turned off his voice modulator, _"Jack."_

" _Bruce."_

" _Jack, listen to me! I need you to get everyone out of the building. Right now! Do you understand?"_

He heard Jack yelling at others, _"Let's go! The boss wants us out of the building! Let's make it happen!"_ Bruce barely swerved out of the way as a part of a skyscraper almost crashed into his jeep. He heard the ear-piercing explosions behind him.

" _Jack… Jack!"_ He screamed into the phone. No answer was given and he ripped the phone away angrily. He veered to the right as cars crashed in front of him, people jumping out; running away from the terror of instant death.

His eyes widened as a missile exploded a block ahead. He barely avoided the resulting carnage by slipping into an alley to his left, the sides of the Jeep scraped against the brick alleyway in a shower of sparks.

He avoided cars driving the other way and tore off open car doors. Then, a huge swarm of people was stopped ahead, blocking any path he could take. He reluctantly stopped the Jeep and hopped out, turning his modulator back on. The beam was gone and the Black Zero was just floating there, waiting.

He suddenly saw a ship, what he recognized as _his_ C-17, crash into the Black Zero - he desperately hoped that Oliver had escaped. A huge shockwave resulted as black and red lightning spread over the Black Zero like spiderwebs, and Bruce was pushed back several feet and humans were tossed like tumbleweeds. All was silent. Then, the singularity opened. Buildings were being pulled into the black hole and Bruce raced forward, crashing through bystander's forms, "MOVE! RUN! GET OUT OF HERE!" He roared, voice modulator making him sound like a demon. He hopped onto a truck and leaped forward, catching the edge of a balcony. He climbed over and ran into the building.

Bloody bodies stared back at him. He was thankful to see that most of them were still alive but if they didn't get medical attention soon, they would die. He ran back to the balcony, "HEY!" He yelled. The paramedics below looked at him in shock, "There are people in here! They are hurt and need medical attention!" He didn't wait for their reply. He leaped off the balcony and fired his grappling gun, catching a broken steel pole on the other block.

Bruce raced towards Wayne Enterprises, grabbing the cell phone and calling Jack once more, hoping that he and all the other employees made it out safely. He turned the corner and froze, one of the many buildings collapsed beside Wayne Enterprises. He dimly heard the voicemail as he watched the building topple, it was almost in slow-motion, _"We're sorry. All services are busy now. Will you please try to call again later."_

All of a sudden, beams of energy - that he recognized as the same ones the _alien_ shot in Smallville - tore effortlessly through _his_ skyscraper like a scalding knife through butter. He dimly noticed the red beams tear through other buildings but he was focused on _his_ building, Wayne Enterprises.

Then, chaos took hold of the civilians. Pandemonium swept through the streets like the plague; everyone trying to escape an inevitable death. Civilians bumped into him but Bruce didn't even notice. He was too busy watching as Wayne Enterprises fell, toppling over other buildings.

"JACK!" He yelled, racing towards the destruction, civilians screamed in terror as he passed but his mind was only concerned with the one person he trusted to help run his company. He covered his mouth as dust clouded the air. He couldn't see _anything_ for several seconds. He kept running, hoping to reach a visible vantage point. He saw flashes of blue lightning in the distance and was glad to see Wally rescuing civilians.

He heard hooves approaching and then he saw the shadow of a horse appear. Then, he actually saw the animal but it was noticeable there was no officer riding it - another death he couldn't prevent! Just like his parents! Just like Jason!

He began to see civilians appearing from the rubble. A teacher was leading a group of children away, "Buddy hands." She kept saying, he was impressed that she was able to remain calm at such a time. He watched sorrowfully as the children passed him by. They reminded him of himself after his parents were murdered. He gently tried to help one of the girls get back in line. She resisted and Bruce took off his cowl, uncaring if adults around him recognized him, and knelt before the child, voice modulator dismantled. "Hey." He said gently, trying to smile but he had a feeling it was more of a grimace, "You need to get back in line, honey. Then, you'll be safe, okay?" The girl tearfully nodded and jumped back in line.

"Mr. Wayne!" Bruce's head snapped to the side. He saw one of his employees, the Wayne Enterprises logo was hard to miss. He raced to his side, "I can't feel my legs! You've gotta help me, Mr. Wayne! I can't feel my legs!"

"Help! This man needs help!" He roared, hoping someone would come to their aid. Bruce dimly noticed the man's legs crushed beneath a pile of rubble, "You're going to be okay. You hear me?" He looked at the man's name tag, "Wallace. What do they call you, Wally?"

Wallace shook, body beginning to go into shock, "You're the boss, Boss. I always knew you were more than a playboy billionaire."

Bruce nodded, "Alright, you're going to be okay." Several civilians raced over and with their combined might, they were able to lift the steel beam off Wallace's trapped legs.

"I can't feel my legs!" Wallace looked down at his feet, "I can't feel my legs. I'm…" He passed out from the shock of realizing he was now paralyzed.

Bruce looked up and saw a little girl, no older than six years old, standing right beneath an imminently collapsing pillar from part of a skyscraper. He raced forward, he felt his knees ache but he pushed through the pain and kept going. He darted through the shadow of the collapsing wreckage and barely picked up the girl in time. He heard the loud crash behind him but he only had eyes for the child.

She was weeping and Bruce placed his hands on her tiny shoulders, "It's okay. You're going to be okay. You're okay. All right?" He tried to soothe the child, briefly cradling her face and wiping away her tears. She looked devastated and new tears appeared, "You know what? We're going to find your mom. Where is she?" The girl whimpered and pointed above Bruce's head.

He turned around and saw it was one of the decimated skyscrapers, sparks of electricity arcing out of the destroyed highrise. Bruce closed his eyes in sorrow. The girl's mother was undoubtedly dead - just like his parents and Jason! He slowly turned back around and faced the child. Soot stained her face and her lips trembled. He heard what sounded like multiple sonic booms above and his eyes darted upward. He pulled the girl to his chest. She nestled in, seeking comfort.

He watched, heart overflowing with hatred as he saw what looked like dozens of stars themselves blaze through the sky, crashing into whatever skyscrapers remained. In the middle of the light show, he recognized the red cape that the _alien_ was wearing. He was barely able to pick the two figures out, but he saw the _alien_ \- Kal-El - on top, causing the destruction.

Bruce gripped the child tighter and swore on his mother, Martha's grave that he was going to kill that _alien_. Make him suffer for creating more orphans, for murdering thousands of civilians.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana stood with Oliver in the cockpit of the C-17, overlooking the Black Zero destroying the planet. They were as close as they could get without being sucked in by the erratic gravity. She gripped the wall and dimly noticed the metal crunching beneath her fingers. All those people were helpless and Zod didn't care! How could the Kryptonians be _so_ immoral?

"So, what's with you and Blue?" Oliver asked, staring at the Black Zero solemnly.

Diana remained calm, "There is nothing between Kal and me, Oliver."

"Yeah right," Oliver snorted, "If that's how you want to play it, so be it." He sobered and turned towards her, eyes more serious than she's ever seen, it was eerily similar to Bruce, "A word of advice, Diana. There are many things I regret in my life but the one that haunts my dreams is Laurel, the girl I was in love with since grade school. I was too afraid to give the obvious connection and attraction we had a chance, never willing to take a leap in the dark. I never told her I loved her." He shook his head in self-deprecation, "Then, she died… Robbery gone wrong."

Diana swallowed, "I think I might be halfway in love with him." She admitted, looking back at the Black Zero, "Thank you for sharing, Oliver." She said sincerely.

Oliver nodded and turned back to the monitors, fingers tapping the screen in quick succession. Diana saw flashes of blue lightning and was happy to see Wally rescuing civilians. She saw J'onn floating above a destroyed building, arms sprayed forward, elbows bent slightly, and fingers flexed sporadically. She saw rubble rise into the air.

Hundreds of civilians fled, sprinting towards Arthur on the other side. He directed them, pointing with his Trident, to head to maybe a subway. Diana wasn't sure.

Hal was making constructs everywhere, creating tools to dig rubble and giant hands to grab building parts. She looked up abruptly when the Black Zero stopped. The beam was gone and the ship floated in the air, waiting.

"He did it! Kal did it! She gripped Oliver's shoulder and lessened her fingers when she felt him wince, "Come on! Now's our chance!" Oliver nodded and the jet bolted forward. Diana rushed into the cargo bay, taking the Command Key out of her breastplate. She slid the key into the slot and her brow furrowed when the key stopped, unmoving as arcs of black and red lightning surrounded the port.

"Are we ready?" Oliver yelled.

Diana frantically shook her head, trying to push the Command Key in but it wouldn't move an inch, "No! It's _stuck_!" She strained against the immovable object.

"Unstuck it, Diana! We don't have- Oh _shit!_ Diana, we've got company!" Just as he said it, Faora crashed through the walls of the plane, winds whipping around them precariously, alarms beeping and red lights flashing.

" _Diana_ , how fitting." Faora smirked, head tilted to the side, "I will enjoy watching the life flicker out of your eyes." She suddenly blitzed Diana.

Faora's arm was outstretched and Diana batted it away and jumped up, kneeing that _woman_ in the helmet. She felt her knee ache from the force and was unprepared for the strike against her inner thigh. Faora followed with an uppercut and a spinning kick which tossed Diana into the benches.

"You were lucky last time, _Diana_." Faora stalked forward, eyes gleaming in a predatory manner, "You exposed a _temporary_ weakness. Now, things will be different." She retracted her helmet. Agony swept through her features and she fell to her knees, hands ripping through the titanium flooring.

Diana stood up and kicked the Kryptonian in the jaw, "That was a mistake." She murmured and unleashed her lightning into Faora's downed form. It was nowhere near as potent as it was at the IHOP, but it was sufficient in distracting the Kryptonian as Diana tried to fix the ship.

She approached and tried with all her strength to push the Command Key fully into the slot; she was not successful. She heard Faora get up and turned around, streams of lightning flying into the Kryptonian. That gave Diana a few more precious seconds. She noticed the ship seemed not necessarily crooked, but it looked _wrong_.

She gripped the hull of the ship and twisted to the left. She saw the arcs of black and red lightning vanish, Command Key waiting to be fully injected. She smiled and leaped forward.

Faora suddenly slammed into her, elbow digging into her neck, "Don't you see it's hopeless, _Diana_. I've mastered my senses and am stronger than ever." She whispered into her ear.

Diana lurched forward and dropped to the ground. Faora stumbled over her and Diana slammed her feet into her opponent's stomach, sending her through the roof of the ship. Diana knew that wouldn't have any effect on the Kryptonian but it did give her the time to push the Command Key in fully, "Oliver, we're good! We're ready!" She felt the ship lurch forward as Faora tore through the roof, eyes blazed in loathing.

Diana pulled out her sword, stumbling as a blast of some kind of weapon grazed the ship. Faora snarled, jumping forward. Diana rolled to the side, swiping her sword in a parallel arc to the floor, intent on chopping her adversary's legs off. Faora screamed in pain as Diana's sword cut through the armor and into her flesh.

Murderous eyes stared at Diana and before she could even blink, Faora's hand was wrapped around her throat, crushing with all her might. The ship suddenly changed trajectory, almost nose-diving. Faora's eyes widened, realizing what was about to happen as she pulled the sword out of her wound and punched Diana out of the plane.

She felt her nose crack and saw Faora rip into the cockpit and then the plane made contact with the Black Zero. Space itself opened and she saw and heard the evils imprisoned in the Phantom Zone, scaring her more than anything ever had, "Oliver!" She screamed, knowing he was already sucked into that hellish existence.

Diana felt herself being sucked into the singularity. She pulled out her Lasso and flung it around a highrise, hanging on with all her might.

Then, she heard the sound of someone streaking through the air. She smiled as she heard Kal come closer to her. She turned her head and all she saw was a sword tear into her leg, ripping tendons and muscles.

Diana screamed as Faora appeared, hanging onto Diana's sword that was currently embedded in her leg while Diana was hanging onto her Lasso that was wrapped around a skyscraper.

"Thank you for the sword, _Diana_." Faora hissed, digging the weapon further into her leg, "It was quite useful in killing your friend. What was his name?" She hummed, "Oh, yes. _Oliver._ " Faora laughed, "Once I kill you, then I will join General Zod in the slaughter of these pathetic humans, _Diana!"_

Diana clutched her Lasso, trying to hang on; she was beginning to lose her grip. Between the strain of the black hole and Faora spearing her in the leg, she didn't have much longer.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal streaked through the sky, looking like a fallen star, creating countless sonic booms in his wake. He was upon the outer limits of Metropolis and he had heard the screams of terror from the residents of the city while he was flying over the Indian Ocean. He heard hearts stop and people cry out in despair as loved ones were lost.

He saw the Black Zero floating over Metropolis like a bringer of death, waiting for something. He saw Diana fighting Faora in a C-17 plane, containing his and J'onn's ship. He heard his brother's two hearts beating and the sound of Hal Jordan creating constructs.

" _J'onn!"_ He shouted telepathically, seeing his brother aiding civilians in their escapes.

J'onn turned around and stared directly at him, _"Kal! Faora has mastered her senses! Diana needs help!"_

" _What about you?"_

He saw his brother look confused, _"I don't understand you!"_

" _What? I said, 'What about you?'"_

" _I think you are speaking Kryptonian!"_

Kal thought about it. Zod had gifted him with knowledge about his culture and race; the inclusion of language didn't register until now. His natural language was Kryptonian. Now, his brain thought in Kryptonian. He said aloud, "English,"

" _Now, can you?"_

" _Yes,"_

" _Good, I asked, 'What about you?'"_

" _Don't worry about me! Help Diana!"_ J'onn yelled.

Kal began to fly to the C-17, intent on aiding Diana when he heard another ship approaching behind him. Kal turned around to see the sight of his Scout Ship, the one he and J'onn had discovered in the Arctic, flying towards the C-17, blasters awakening; intent on ending lives.

Zod.

How did he find it? It didn't matter. Kal had to stop him. He blurred towards the ship and crashed through the alien material. He knew that would create bruises. He landed in a heap several feet away from the commander's seat which Zod occupied. He stood up, eyes glowing red with power.

Zod was frantic, " _Stop!_ If you destroy this _ship_ , _you_ destroy Krypton!" He stood up, eyes wide in fear, desperately trying to stop Kal.

His eyes returned to his normal cerulean blue as he realized that what Zod had said was true. He thought about the Genesis Chamber containing embryos of his race, people that would be like him. He knew he had to stop Zod from destroying Earth but that didn't mean he couldn't save the embryos.

They were innocent like he and J'onn were when their father saved them.

" _J'onn!"_ He cried out mentally, hoping his telepathic shout would reach his brother. He didn't have much longer; Zod approached him hesitantly, arms stretched out as if trying to ward off a wild beast.

" _I'm busy! What is it?"_ His brother replied.

" _Connect me with Hal Jordan!"_

Zod placed a hand on Kal's shoulder, "Now, you understand, Kal-El. Stop your foolish behavior and join your people." He didn't finish as Kal punched Zod in the face.

"Krypton had its chance, Zod!"

" _Wow! What is this?"_ Hal Jordan's voice echoed in his mind, _"Is this telepathy?"_

" _This is Kal-El! I need you to wrap a giant construct, like a pillow, around the giant ship that is behind the C-17!"_ He could feel Hal's hesitation, _"Hal, please."_ He implored.

" _Alright, one giant pillow coming up!"_ Kal registered the acceptance but didn't have time to reply as Zod stalked through the hole in the wall.

"Kal, use the smarts you inherited from your father and _think!_ Together, we can save Krypton, make it better!" Zod might have said it in an almost friendly way, but his eyes told Kal he would kill him if he had to and he was _pissed_.

He looked at the hole he created when he crashed into the ship and saw green covering it.

Hal had wrapped the ship like Kal had instructed.

He looked back at Zod, "Krypton's gone, Zod… It's been gone for a long time." His eyes glowed red as he blasted the command seat.

The ship began to drop out of the sky. Zod roared and attacked him but the shockwave as they crashed managed to make him stumble. Kal flew forward and punched him in the face, sending him out of the ship, following him so he wouldn't see the green constructs; the only way he could save the embryos was if Zod believed them to be destroyed.

He smashed his fists into Zod's face, and drove him into the ground, shoving the General several thousand feet beneath the earth. Zod stayed motionless, eyes frozen in grief.

Kal flew out of the hole, shoving aside giant pillars of steel beams and concrete.

He heard Diana's rapid heartbeat and looked up. Faora was hanging onto Diana with a sword and Diana was barely holding on with her Lasso.

He shot forward, crashing into Faora's form. She saw him at last second and he ducked underneath her outstretched arm, grabbing her armored leg and throwing towards the black hole. He immediately grabbed Diana and flew forward, the black hole trying to swallow them. Kal heard Faora's scream of rage as she was sucked into the singularity. He clenched his jaw and continued flying away. It was easier the further away he went.

Then, all was silent.

Kal held onto Diana as they floated into the apocalyptic land, destroyed skyscrapers and ruined land assaulted Kal as he gently set Diana down. She suddenly yanked her sword out of her leg and winced.

"Are you alright?" He asked, listening closely for any sign of Zod. He could hear the General muttering in his hole in the ground, _'Gone… Kal-El… Humans… Traitor'_

Diana nodded, "I'll heal." She looked down at her bloody leg, muscle tissue - her hamstrings, adductors, soleus, among many others - and tendons were destroyed. He could see that her Femur bone had a hole in it from her sword ripping through it. He was shocked that she was able to stand at all.

She limped over, grabbing his shoulder, "Thank you, Kal." She gazed into his eyes, wrapping her hands around his cheeks, rubbing them softly.

Kal leaned down and kissed her, their lips enveloping, so meaningful to each, arousing to each.

His eyes snapped open as he heard Zod leap out of his hole. Diana turned to him and he dimly heard the rest of the League, save Batman and Green Arrow, approach from behind them. Kal squeezed Diana's hand and floated forward.

Passing destroyed land made regret almost overwhelm him. This was all _his_ fault. He led Zod here, inadvertently but he led them here all the same. He was thankful the League was here. If not, he shuddered to think about what the city would look like.

He landed in front of Zod. The General was kneeling in the dirt, eyes staring brokenly at the ship.

"We could have built… a new Krypton in this _squalor_ ," Zod looked up at him, "but _you_ chose the _humans_ over _us_." Kal saw the change. Zod's features filled with malignity, eyes alight with fury.

"I exist _only_ to protect Krypton." Zod said, body beginning to shake, "That is the _sole_ purpose for which I was born." Kal stared at him sadly.

"Every action I take, no matter how violent or how cruel, is for the greater good… of my people." His voice grew darker, "Now, I have _no_ people." His eyes blazed to life, looking at Kal with _such_ hatred he felt foreboding whisper in his ears, "My _soul!"_ Zod roared, pointing his finger at Kal condemningly, " _THAT IS WHAT YOU HAVE TAKEN FROM ME!"_ He dashed forward, catching Kal off guard as Zod slammed into his chest with mountain-shattering power.

Kal hurled through the air, falling to the ground and bouncing for several miles.

He skidded to a stop, huge trenches forming in his wake as Kal watched Zod stalk towards him, "I'm going to make _them suffer,_ Kal. These humans you've adopted. I am going to take them all from you one by one, crushing them like the ants they are!" He walked forward, eyes gleaming with promise.

"You're a monster, Zod." Kal levitated off the ground, bits of dirt and gravel hovered with him, "and I'm going to stop you." He saw Zod smile viciously and flew forward, fists outstretched. Zod dashed forward, each stepping breaking through the cement and ground like eggshells.

They crashed together in a colossal display of power, a massive shockwave erupting from their combined might and a mountain of dust billowed outwards, covering their surroundings in a dust storm.

The last two Kryptonians in existence battled for dominion over the planet, Earth. One fought for vengeance against his kinsman while the other fought because Earth had become his home.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana stood, her teammates beside her, save Bruce and Oliver - she closed her eyes in silent mourning, as they watched Kal float towards Zod. Hal had constructed a sling for her leg and a crutch. She had a feeling it would be a day or so before her leg had completely healed.

Many rescued civilians were huddled behind them. Diana knew it was well over a couple hundred that the League had managed to save, but she knew that thousands had still died - just like Oliver.

"I don't have a good feeling about this," Wally said shakily, watching Kal stand in front of Zod.

Arthur gripped his Trident, flesh angrily rubbing against metal in frustration, "Me too. If this turns ugly, we're pretty much fucked. _Nothing_ about _this_ feels like a victory."

Diana felt that way as well. If a fight broke out, there wasn't anything she or the League could do. Wally was obviously fatigued, his legs were shaking from the effort of standing. Arthur couldn't match against the Kryptonians in strength. J'onn's eyes were unfocused and he leaned on Diana for support. He was exhausted mentally from the strain of lifting massive rubble and hearing the cries of innocents. Hal's ring was out of energy and needed to be recharged; he didn't have his Lantern Battery. She herself was wounded and would only hinder Kal in any battle.

She didn't know where Bruce was. She strenuously hoped that he was alright, not like Oliver as she left him to face Faora on his own - managing to succeed in opening the singularity.

" _Shit!_ " Arthur growled. Diana watched as Zod crashed into Kal, sending him flying for a few miles. They were talking to each other but she couldn't hear what it was about. Kal suddenly levitated and rocketed forward, colliding against Zod. She dimly noticed J'onn pull a pack of Oreos out of his body, handing them to Wally who inhaled them promptly.

The earth beneath their feet trembled as Kal and Zod went flying into one of the hopefully abandoned buildings.

Diana suddenly flew towards another building, landing on top, leaning on her crutch as she observed the battle. She had seen some unbelievable things in her life. She has seen her father, Zeus and his control over lightning. The speed that Wally could reach and the imaginative abilities of a Green Lantern's Ring. Arthur wielded his Trident with skill and seemed to be stronger than her Amazon sisters were. She had seen Bruce and Oliver - she would have to mourn later - fight crime with only their wit to aid them. Then, she met J'onn and Kal. She watched J'onn lift an entire building with his mind, seen him reach inside his _own_ body and remove ancient treasures. Kal was as fast as Wally, stronger than her and seemed to be the epitome of power.

Now, she was witnessing Kal without restraints. He and Zod fought, the _sheer_ power colliding against one another, the unstoppable force against the immovable object created shockwaves that she felt in her _bones_.

It was like the limits Kal had previously, were only there because _he_ had _put them there_. He seemed to move faster as the fight grew in intensity. His punches contained more power with every strike and the hits he received from Zod, which were also increasing in strength, no longer seemed to faze him, like he didn't even feel them.

Diana knew the only thing standing between Earth and eradication was Kal. She also knew there was only one way this would end, _could_ end: death. There was no material on the planet that could contain Zod.

Kal would have to kill him.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal was smacked into a skyscraper, steel beams crumpling the moment his body made contact. He felt the floor crack as he stood up. Zod landed before him and his features grimaced and he turned his head to the side. The General raised his head and Kal saw two glowing eyes staring back at him.

He knew what that meant.

Zod unleashed his heat vision at Kal. He dodged and Zod's heat vision cut through the floor and continued, sawing the building in half. It began to collapse. Zod took one last look at Kal and leaped out of the falling skyscraper. Kal could hear the heartbeats below and tried to think of a way to save them.

He heard a racing heartbeat that moved over 2,400 beats per minute and knew Wally was rescuing the civilians.

Kal flew out of the building, intent on taking Zod somewhere isolated. A piece of the skyscraper hit him on the back, causing him to lose control and crash into multiple cars on the streets. He stood up and heard Zod land behind a gas truck. The General kicked the massive truck at Kal.

Kal jumped forward, stopping the truck from explosion only to be met with Zod's fist to his face. Zod had jumped _through_ the truck and as a result, it blew up. He heard the massive explosion, turning around as he saw part of the parking garage collapse, fires raging through the tunnels, cars raining down on them

Zod's fist slammed into his face, knocking him into the asphalt. He stood up and punched the General in the face, only for Zod to counter with a neck chop and kick to the chest. Kal flew back and Zod blurred forward, delivering a massive uppercut that sent him careening into part of a skyscraper. He dug his hands out to the side and pushed off the side of the building, hurtling through the air until he righted himself above the skyscraper. Kal looked down at Zod, who was staring up at him from the street.

"There's only _one_ way this ends, Kal. Either you die, or I do!" He jumped forward onto the skyscraper, using his hands and feet to propel himself upward, effortlessly breaking through the materials of the building.

Kal shot down, fists outstretched as he met Zod in another shockwave of power. He wrapped his arms around Zod and pushed out, legs extending into the General's form as Zod flew into another building. Kal flew after him.

He crashed through the construction building's floor, eyes open for any sign of Zod. The General suddenly appeared with a steel beam, arms wound around his shoulder as he attempted to hit Kal.

Heat vision incinerated the steel beam and Zod dropped the remnants. The General blurred forward and, before Kal could defend himself, smashed his fist into his stomach and then his other fist into his knee, driving Kal to kneel before Zod. The General wound up and punched him in the face, sending him back, dazed.

Kal laid there in pain. That _hurt_. He almost wished he could face the World Engine again.

Zod stepped back, glaring at him loathing, "I was _bred_ to be a warrior, Kal. I trained my entire life to master my senses." Zod's face distorted as he bent forward, the broken pieces of concrete began to tremble, "Where did _you_ train? On a _farm_?" He suddenly lurched his shoulder back and his armor popped off. He brought his fists together to his chest and yanked them to the side. The rest of the armor fell away, revealing a black suit that was very similar to Kal's.

Zod's eyes closed briefly and Kal watched in shock, mixed with apprehension, as the General levitated off the ground, parts of dirt, armor, and steel beams floating beside him. He was several yards above the ground, hands clenched into tight fists, eyes blazing with rage.

Kal felt dread bear down on him; Zod was becoming stronger by the second. How was he supposed to defeat him? Zod was _the_ pinnacle of Kryptonian power, _the_ warrior of the eradicators, engineered to be unstoppable. Zod's eyes burned with his promise, _'I'm going to make them suffer, Kal. These humans you've adopted. I am going to take them all from you one by one, crushing them like the ants they are!'_

Kal couldn't let that happen.

He felt a calm descend upon his mind, his emotions faded away until all that was left was serenity. He blitzed Zod, crashing into the General in a blur. He smashed Zod against countless steel beams, they bent on contact with Zod's body like they were made of paper. Kal punched Zod with tremendous force, like thunder and lightning clashing together in a colossal display of power.

The General didn't even seem to feel it as he countered into Kal's jaw. He delivered a swift kick to Kal's side and he went flying and righted himself before he crashed into a skyscraper.

Zod dashed forward, but Kal was ready. He turned his body and used Zod's momentum against him, kicking him in the chest and Zod was sent flying.

Kal blurred forward as time itself froze. He slammed his fist into Zod's body with all his strength. He heard Zod groan in pain and delivered another mountain-shattering punch against the General.

Zod dashed away after the hit, realization in his features that he couldn't keep up with Kal in raw power. He seemingly vanished and Kal blurred into the city, senses stretched to their limit as he tried to locate Zod. He could hear everyone in the country watching the news reports on the battle in Metropolis.

He floated in front of a building, eyes scanning _through_ the skyscrapers on the other side. He heard glass shatter behind him and Kal didn't have enough time to react; Zod flew through the now broken skyscraper and slammed Kal's face into the building, materials breaking like tissue paper.

Kal flipped over and shoved Zod's face into the same building. He kicked him in the back and the General gripped the building's materials, righting himself. He caught the fist that Kal threw, creating a massive shockwave that destroyed whatever glass wasn't already shattered.

Zod gripped his fist and Kal threw his other fist but Zod delivered a blurred uppercut, throwing him up in the air. Before he could right himself, Zod grabbed his cape.

The city swirled, colors changing rapidly, blurring together until he could no longer distinguish which was which. Then, Zod released his cape and Kal could do nothing as he crashed through countless skyscrapers, his body effortlessly breaking through everything in his way. He could only hope that the buildings were evacuated.

Kal managed to right himself but Zod barreled into him, appearing out of nowhere and taking him into space.

Within seconds, they were at the edge of the exosphere. Kal spun around, grappling with Zod for control. He managed to sling his arms beneath the General's and threw him forward.

Zod's arms stretched out, fingers effortlessly breaking through the titanium of a satellite. Zod smiled down at him maliciously. Kal saw what was going to happen and blurred forward.

It was too late.

Zod threw the entire satellite at him and Kal raced forward trying to catch it. Zod abruptly tore _through_ the satellite and grabbed him, bringing him back to the planet.

Fire raged around their bodies but they were unaffected. Zod slammed his fist into Kal's face countless times, shockwaves destroying some of the satellite pieces that were entering the atmosphere with them.

They blazed through the atmosphere like stars themselves and Kal flipped over. He held Zod in place, punching him several times as he accelerated forward.

A moment later, they crashed into a building.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana looked up as she saw a meteor shower blaze through the sky. She had watched as the two Kryptonians blurred into space and hoped that Kal was able to stop him away from civilians.

She saw the rest of the League staring at the spectacle and when she focused her vision, she saw Kal holding Zod. They crashed into a building.

Her leg was still healing but she couldn't stop herself from journeying to where she saw them crash.

Diana flew to the sight and landed through the broken glass, which served as a sunroof. She winced as her leg landed, immediately floating instead of walking.

She saw a family trying to escape while Kal had forced Zod into a chokehold. The both of them strained and the sounds escaping the General's mouth were reminiscent of a snarling beast.

Then, Zod's eyes flashed to the family, "If _you_ love these _people_ so much," He yanked his head towards the family, eyes glowing red, " _You_ can _mourn_ for _them!_ " Heat vision blasted out of his eyes, continuous and scorching. Diana could feel the heat from where she was standing. The family was about to be killed.

Kal screamed, "Stop! Don't do this! STOP!" He roared, trying to turn Zod's head away.

" _NEVER!"_ Zod said and Diana knew it was true. He would kill everyone on Earth until it was as barren of life as Krypton was.

Diana blurred forward, and landed in front of the beams, bracers crossed in front of her, trying to hold back the seemingly insurmountable pressure of Zod's heat vision.

She dimly heard the family run away and Zod increased his blast tenfold. Diana tried to brace her legs into the ground, but her wounded leg from Faora didn't allow it. She was soon overpowered and she crashed into the corner where the family was and Zod's heat vision was _inches_ away from her form. Her skin began to blister and crack.

Kal's face registered what he had to do. His eyes clouded with sorrow and he shut them. Then, the haunting sound of Zod's neck being snapped echoed throughout the room. The General's body fell lifelessly to the ground, eyes losing their fire.

Kal fell to his knees and Diana gingerly stood up, wincing as her leg cried out in pain.

" _AARRRGGGHHHHH!"_ Kal roared, his scream shattered pieces of the broken concrete and the ground shook. He stared at Zod's body brokenly, horror and anguish painted on his face. He had just killed the last member of his race.

Diana stepped closer and placed her hand on his shoulder. Kal turned to her brokenly. She pulled his head into her stomach, aching to comfort him. She cautiously sat down and laid Kal's head on her chest, rubbing his neck gently.

She stared at Zod.

Diana stroked Kal's hair while she contemplated the events of the past several days. She came to several epiphanies. Zod could _not_ live because his purpose was extinguished. He would never stop trying to eradicate the human race because all of Krypton was gone because of Kal. His revenge would be to slaughter Earth because Kal chose Earth over Krypton.

There was no prison on Earth, probably in the universe, that could hold Zod. She doubted that the Guardians could hold him. Kal _had_ to kill Zod, she _truly_ wished he didn't have to but life wasn't fair. That's something she had learned. Ares wasn't fair when he slaughtered her sisters and mother.

Kal clutched her tightly and Diana knew this day would forever haunt him. She also knew that she would be there to ease his burden.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Bruce Wayne had noticed something crucial that no one else had. _Zod_ eventually wasn't wearing the powerful armor that he was before. He was wearing a suit very similar to _Kal-El's_.

He contacted Alfred to review _all footage_ from satellites, ATM's, phones, _anything_ that had a camera. Alfred eventually said he narrowed down the time between when Zod did and didn't have the armor. He had told Bruce that it was when the two _aliens_ were at a thankfully abandoned construction site.

After pinching a nerve in the girl's neck to bring her relief in slumber, Bruce brought her to the paramedics that had arrived at the city. He told the officers the child was an orphan and he vanished into the crowd.

Following Alfred's directions, Bruce fired his grappling gun at the construction site and saw evidence of a battle.

Concrete and steel beams were broken but that's not what had captured his attention.

Zod's armor was laying on the ground, broken into large pieces, waiting for _anyone_ to find it.

Bruce Wayne smiled. A plan had begun. He was to kill the _alien, Kal-El._

XxXxXxXxXxX

 **Well, that's a for this chapter, folks! I hope you enjoyed! Please, leave a review and tell me what you thought!**

 ****I was never a fan of how the sun was what gave Kal-El his powers. He could never absorb that much energy from the sun alone to do what he does. Based off Reyel's, Avengers of Steel explanation**

 ****I know not many people liked Batman v Superman, but I loved it. It was realistic, unlike some movies** _ ***cough*cough***_ **Marvel (ugh!) and Star Wars (sometimes). The DCEU takes the superheroes we love and places them in a real-world setting (in our actual time era). In BvS,** _ **that**_ **is exactly how people would react to a godlike being in Superman. I have been a** _ **major**_ **fan of the DCEU (except Suicide Squad, let's pretend that didn't happen) and loved Zack Snyder's vision that he had set forth before Warner Brothers ruined it.**

 **I am intending to head to a BvS route because it makes sense because of the psychological trauma Bruce Wayne has endured throughout his life. He is afraid. It's as simple as that.**

 **In BvS,** _ **that**_ **was the greatest depiction of Batman an any comic, film, or tv show in my opinion. Bruce Wayne was worn, beaten, broken, and withered. He was a war veteran. That was evidenced by his suit. Personally, I didn't mind that Batman killed at all. In fact, I preferred it. Many of the stuff he has done in the comics to criminals and villains would easily kill them whether he knew it or not. Bruce Wayne has** _ **always**_ **been a realist and thinks logically. Is it logical to send the Joker, an insane psychopath who kills for fun, to jail only for him to escape several weeks later (he knows that because he's a realist) and kill more innocents? It's not.**

 ****I do** _ **not**_ **condone killing people but sometimes that's the** _ **only**_ **solution. Batman is human, there is nothing special about him except his wit and the fact that he risks his life beating up criminals. He cannot wipe their minds and** _ **make**_ **them stop killing people. The** _ **only**_ **way that he can** _ **make**_ **them stop killing people is to kill them himself. For those who say Batman uses fear to keep the criminals in line, fear** _ **only**_ **begets more fear just as violence begets more violence.**

 **Sometimes the only way for change is to wipe the slate clean and start fresh. When the forest grows rank and needs clearing for new growth, it** _ **has**_ **to be set ablaze. Sometimes things get worse before they get better.**

 **By killing criminals, Batman is setting ablaze the forest of psychopaths (Joker) because the criminal underworld has grown rank.**

 **There's a famous quote from Batman that** _ **many**_ **fans use as a defense against Batman's refusal to kill, "If you kill a killer, the amount of killers remains the same." I'm not even going to explain why I think that quote is ignorant.**

 **I hope you all enjoyed it, and make sure to leave a review and tell me what you think!**

 ** _Stay Safe_**

 **ButtonPusher**


	7. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own Justice League or any of the characters associated with DC Comics.**

 **Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. You guys are awesome! All the feedback made my day.**

 **Sorry for the long wait; this chapter was a tough one.**

 ****Warning! There are** _ **very**_ **,** _ **very**_ **dark themes and moments in this chapter! Be prepared! Discretion is advised! M rating is applied! The scene will be marked; please, feel free to skip it if you need to. It is** _ **very dark!**_ **(Read Author's Note!)**

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana had gently coaxed Kal to his feet. He had robotically obeyed and his eyes stared vacantly at Zod's corpse. It was disconcerting. Kal slowly walked forward and knelt before the body and placed his fingers over Zod's lifeless eyes, "I hope peace finds you." He murmured and closed the eyelids. Kal then picked up the body.

She frowned, placing a hand on his shoulder, "What are you doing?" Why would Kal take Zod's body? If it was up to her, Zod's body would be left to rot.

"He might heal." He answered flatly, tonelessly. It scared her, "Plus, if A.R.G.U.S came in possession of the body, they would undoubtedly experiment on him; find out what makes Kryptonians _tick_." Diana closed her eyes in understanding. Waller and Luthor _would_ most certainly do that.

"What are you going to…" She trailed off and gestured to Zod's body, not sure how to ask the question.

"I'm going to ask my father if we can open up the Phantom Zone once more and throw Zod's body into it."

"Okay," She followed Kal to the Scout Ship that had crashed through several skyscrapers. The streets were abandoned and all was silent except for the sparks crackling from electric poles.

Kal entered through a hole in the top and Diana followed. An Android floated towards them and Diana's back flared in remembrance of pain. She pulled out her sword, but Kal gripped her arm gently. She reluctantly obeyed and stared warily at the Android.

"Where is my father?" Kal said flatly, still holding onto Zod's corpse.

The Android buzzed and the screen flickered, geo liquid condensing into something new, "I'm sorry, Kal-El. General Zod of Kandor terminated Thinker Jor-El of Kandor's A.I."

Diana froze, eyes wide as she stared at Kal. Now, Kal was _truly_ alone. He had to kill the last remaining Kryptonian in the universe and now, Jor-El was gone. His father was gone.

Kal dropped Zod's body and it fell in a boneless heap on the floor, "WHY?" He roared, eyes turning blood red as beams of _heat_ slammed into Zod's body.

Nothing happened.

Zod's body didn't even have a scratch and Diana was amazed. Apparently, Kryptonians were indestructible even in death. Kal kneeled over Zod's form, shaking his head as his fists clenched.

Diana gingerly kneeled next to him, "I'm here," She whispered and he pressed his head gently against hers.

For several minutes the two held each other, taking comfort from the other.

"Come with me to Themyscira," Diana whispered.

Kal didn't hesitate, "Okay," he sighed and stood up, "I'll carry the ship there while you help the League search through the rubble for civilians." He paused, "Wait, you told me some kind of barrier prevents people from entering. I'll just take the ship back to the Arctic."

Diana stood up as well, "Zod managed to find the ship and it's _possible_ that A.R.G.U.S will narrow down where you take the ship. _Nobody_ knows about Themyscira, not even my teammates within the League."

Kal stared into her eyes, "I'll fly the ship to Themyscira and then I'll come back to help you and the League." His eyes were morose and Diana ached to relieve his pain.

Diana nodded, "Say, _'_ _Είμαι Αμαζόνιος, φέρνοντας ειρήνη,'_ when you arrive. You'll know it when you see it. Head towards where the Bermuda Triangle is at." She smiled gently at him and flew out of the hole, directing herself to where the League was.

The destruction was almost immeasurable. She saw buildings toppled and dust clouded the atmosphere, suffocating everyone. Zod was responsible for this. Diana _hated_ that man almost as much as Ares. She hated him for the thousands of innocent civilians that had undoubtedly perished. She hated him because Oliver sacrificed himself to open the Phantom Zone. But most of all, she hated Zod because he would never have stopped his rampage. He was going to kill _every single person_ on Earth, making it as barren of life as Krypton was. Because of that, Kal was forced to kill him. She loathed Zod because he had forced Kal to kill the last of his race, had forced him to choose between Krypton and Earth, forced him to choose between a world that already hated him because of the destruction of Metropolis and a world where he would have felt a sense of belonging.

The League was helping civilians reunite with family members when she found them.

"Is Kal okay?" J'onn asked suddenly when she landed.

"He will be," She answered shortly, "There are civilians trapped and we _need_ to help them."

The League split up, save J'onn who continued to help find family members, and Diana floated towards one of the skyscrapers. Her leg was still badly wounded so she used her Lasso to pull rubble away.

"Wonder Woman! _Thank you!_ " A family cried out as they bolted out of the rubble.

Diana waved and stretched her senses outwards. She heard the ground shake and she raced towards the sound. It was Kal lifting the entire ship on his back. She smiled.

"Get back here! NO! You _filth! NO!_ " Diana whipped her around and saw an Army general glaring hatefully at Kal as he took the ship.

XxXxXxXxXxX

General Sam Lane marched forward through the desolated city with his platoon of soldiers. He stared at the ruined streets around him. He couldn't believe the amount of destruction surrounding him in a suffocating blanket. How could this happen? How was this amount of destruction possible? Lane already knew the answer to those questions.

 _Kal-El._

That _alien_ had done this!

"Find my daughter." He said aloud, dimly aware of the fact that several of his soldiers left his unit in direction of where the Daily Planet _used_ to be. His daughter, Lois was known for putting herself in dangerous situations. She most likely stayed at the Planet until Perry White had ordered an evacuation.

Almost the entire city was gone. There was _so much_ destruction. There were _no more_ buildings left, that gravity weapon had turned the city into ash.

He knew that the _ship_ \- the one that crashed through dozens of skyscrapers like they were tissue paper - was still lying in the street. The same one that the _alien_ stole from the Arctic, stolen from the U.S. military. Lane intended to claim the ship as U.S. military property and advance the human race forward by eons.

It was immeasurable.

The technology aboard that ship would save the human race. Based on his encounter with the _aliens_ in Smallville, the human race was primitive compared to other races. The _ship_ would change that! New weapons that were capable of fighting _any_ external fight, armor that kept all soldiers unscathed, faster than light speed travel, computers so advanced the ones that humans created were nothing more than a speck of dust. The Humans could finally have an unlimited energy source, no longer relying on the ever-dwindling fossil fuels. That was all inconsequential because the major thing Lane desired was the _knowledge_. That _ship_ had to have an infinite amount of knowledge about races in the universe; the very secrets the universe held.

He wanted it all.

It would change everything and it was going to be because of him, the technology would be _his_ by right, by discovery.

"General Lane, Sir!" A soldier called out and Lane turned around, his platoon standing at a halt.

"What is it, Soldier?"

The Soldier swallowed as he stood in front of his commanding officer, "Sir, we found your… daughter." He bowed his head, "It dismays me to inform you that she did not make it. I'm terribly sorry for your loss, Sir."

Lane saw another soldier approach carrying a body. His knees felt weak. He saw the familiar hair falling over the soldier's arm and _NO!_ That _couldn't_ be _his_ daughter! Not _his_ Lois!

The soldier stood across from him and Lane stared at Lois' pale face, _dead_ face. Her expression was marred by fear and a large piece of shrapnel was lodged in her chest, the cause of her death.

Lane touched Lois' face and closed her eyes. Father and daughter had more than their fair share of disagreements and never seemed to see eye-to-eye on _anything_.

That didn't mean he didn't love his daughter with every fiber of his being.

He allowed a single tear to fall out of his eye, "Take her," He ordered and spun around, stalking to the ship. He would avenge _her!_ That _ship_ was the key! It could bring Lois back! It _would_ bring Lois back!

He didn't notice that he was running forward, a crazed smile gracing his features. He was going to bring his daughter back from death!

He suddenly stumbled as the ground trembled. One of his soldiers gripped his arm as Lane gazed around warily, eyes discerning all the desecrated foundations of skyscrapers.

"Sir, _look!_ "

Lane looked up and saw the _alien_ \- _Kal-El!_ \- carrying the ship on his back. He was taking the _ship!_ _His_ ship! The advancement of the human race! Resurrecting Lois!

"Get back here! NO! You _filth! NO!_ " He roared. He couldn't let that _fiend_ steal _his_ ship! It was the key! He fell to his knees as the _alien_ disappeared into the sky.

He glared at the ground, features distorting to become malignant, "You will _die_ , _Kal-El._ " He hissed, "I swear it by my daughter's grave. _You_ killed Lois, you _fiend._ "

General Sam Lane would use _every_ resource he had to kill that _alien!_

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal flew past Florida, high in the clouds so none would see him. His eyes could see everything, yet nothing. All he saw was Zod's corpse staring at him condemningly. Sightless eyes assaulted his vision and the truth was staring at him; he couldn't look away.

He was a murderer. Killer. Betrayer. Kinslayer. Guilty.

This must be what heartbreak felt like. He doesn't have a heart in his body, but it felt like he did.

He was all alone.

Actually, that wasn't true. There were the embryos in the ship he was carrying on his back. Since he had the Codex, it would be painless to awaken the Genesis Chamber. He was wary to do that though. The world was clearly not ready for aliens, let alone the Kryptonians, the _eradicators_. He wasn't sure _he_ himself was ready. He didn't want another person like Zod to rise.

Kal wished he had a way to integrate Manhunter DNA into the Genesis Chamber so he could give J'onn a family. His brother was truly alone. No other Manhunter in the universe lived, Kal's kin had made sure of that.

J'onn didn't have anyone that he could talk to besides his brother. Kal had always felt the same until he met Diana. He yearned for his brother to make that connection with someone.

He saw the Bermuda Triangle approach and Kal floated high in the sky, eyes scrutinizing the water. Massive rocks - several miles high - created a massive circle around crystal clear water. The water looked perfect but it was stormy, waves reaching several hundred feet high, crashing against the large rocks. Kal focused his vision and saw a shimmering field surround the Bermuda Triangle. It was slightly disconcerting that he couldn't see _through_ the field.

He trusted Diana.

Kal gently carried the ship until he felt a barrier begin to try and hold him back. He knew he could probably break through the barrier if he wanted to, but he was _not_ going to break Diana's trust.

"Είμαι Αμαζόνιος, φέρνοντας ειρήνη," He said aloud and he watched impressed as an outline of his body and the ship appeared on the barrier in a yellow color.

He floated through and once he and the ship had passed, Kal watched the barrier shut. He turned around to finally gaze at Diana's home.

Paradise.

A large island was surrounded by crystal clear water. Kal floated closer and landed on a section of luscious grass. He gently sat the ship down and stared at his surroundings.

Waterfalls fell off cliffs and ventured into the water surroundings. Beauty encompassed his vision but he recognized the signs of a battle, a _bloody_ battle. He could smell the dried blood and saw desecrated buildings, soot staining what was once surely beautiful.

Large trees towered around a city and Kal knew _that_ was Themyscira. He was tempted to fly around but knew he _had_ to get back to Metropolis.

Kal glanced one last time at the ship, ears listening closely for _anything_ on the island.

All was silent.

Sorrow filled him as he realized Diana's family once thrived here. There should be dozens, maybe hundreds, of heartbeats meeting his ears. He should _see_ them but he couldn't.

Because they were slaughtered by Ares.

Kal levitated, "Είμαι Αμαζόνιος, φέρνοντας ειρήνη," he said once more and blurred out of the Bermuda Triangle, streaking through the sky towards Metropolis.

He could see the toppled skyscrapers as he zoomed closer. Kal landed and heartbeats assaulted his ears beneath the rubble. Some of them were slow, weakening with every beat, and others were frantic, desperately trying to escape from the seemingly inescapable.

Kal immediately began rescuing trapped civilians and deposited them with the paramedics that had gathered around Metropolis.

He did this for hours, trying to assuage his recklessness from his fight with Zod.

" _You_ did this!"

Kal turned around slowly and stared at one of the civilians, "I _know_ ," He whispered.

The man was taken aback but swiftly recovered, "Look around us, _alien._ Look at what _you_ did to us!" He gestured around to the city, " _You_ don't belong _here_ , _fiend!_ Leave the planet and _never_ return! You are a _fucking_ devil, Satan incarnate!"

"That's enough," Kal was never more relieved to see his brother, "What happened was not his fault." J'onn calmly floated down next to Kal.

"Who the _fuck_ are you?" The man stepped back, eyes wide with fear as he stared at J'onn's green skin.

"I am a Manhunter." J'onn's eyes glowed and the man suddenly collapsed. With a wave of his green hand, the man didn't slam into the broken concrete. Instead, he floated midair, held by J'onn telekinetically.

Kal heard a familiar heartbeat approach. The sound of a grappling gun being released reached his ears.

Bruce Wayne stalked towards him, "He was _right_." His eyes blazed with hatred and Kal sighed.

"I know he was." He breathed out heavily. Kal tried to distract himself from the memory of the sound of hearts stopping during his battle with Zod and directed his focus onto Batman.

Bruce Wayne seemed to favor his right side. Kal scanned Bruce's body and his eyes found a chip implanted in the man's spine, above his C1. He focused on the inner workings of the chip and saw it extended into Bruce's nerves, leading directly to his brain. Heavy scarring was apparent surrounding the area.

" _Read his mind about a chip implanted in his spine."_ Kal thought outward.

J'onn's eyes glowed briefly, his shock and horror were apparent in his response, _"It is an agony matrix that A.R.G.U.S, more specifically Amanda Waller, forcibly implanted. It causes excruciating pain and Bruce Wayne has endured this torture for a little over a decade. He has been forced to work for them. If he didn't comply, he was tortured. He was blackmailed."_ Anger seeped into J'onn's words the further he described to Kal what Waller had done.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Bruce Wayne saw J'onn's eyes glow for a second and felt _something_ in his head. It was like a gentle breeze, he didn't know what it meant.

He was calling upon _all_ of his restraint to keep from attacking the _alien_. _He_ was responsible for the _death_ that plagued the world currently. _He_ was the catalyst for the death of thousands, for making children orphans - just like Bruce was!

Then, _Kal-El's_ eyes glowed demonic red. Bruce flinched and he was assaulted with images of _those beams_ easily cutting through dozens of skyscrapers.

He blinked and he felt a stinging sensation on his neck. He wrapped his hand around the spot and his armor was fully intact. He felt heat flood his system as his neck throbbed in pain. It was almost as if his neck had been cauterized.

"I don't think you will need to worry about _this_ anymore, Batman." Bruce looked up at the _alien_.

He held the agony matrix in his hand.

Bruce stared blankly at the chip in _Kal-El's_ hand, "Where did you get that?" He asked, scarcely believing it was _the one_ that had been in his body for a decade.

"Your neck," He suddenly tossed it to Bruce who caught it with numb hands. The _alien_ smiled sadly, "Give Amanda Waller my regards." He stepped back several feet and exploded off the ground.

Bruce swallowed as he stared at the chip, "I… _don't_ understand." He said aloud.

J'onn placed his hand on Bruce's shoulder but the Wayne scion angrily tore away, "I don't want your pity!" He snarled, teeth gnashing together.

"I wasn't giving you any." J'onn said calmly, "I am here to offer a word of advice-"

"I don't care for your _fucking_ opinion! _You_ two did this!" Bruce cried out, "Oliver is _dead!_ He's dead because of _him!_ _Look_ around you, _J'onn!_ The world will _forever_ live in fear because of _this!"_

J'onn was nonplussed and that pissed Bruce off further. He growled, "That man was right." He pointed to the still floating man several feet to the right of J'onn, "You and your _brother_ don't belong here! You are _fucking_ devils!" He shook with rage and whirled around, afraid if he looked at that _alien_ one more second Bruce would kill him.

"This crusade of yours, this road of vengeance you have paved towards my brother, will not end the way you think." J'onn called out, "If you continue, misery will be your lone companion and peace will forever elude your desperate grasp."

Bruce ignored the _alien_ and smiled darkly as he stalked off. He felt the chip in his palm and he allowed his rage to fully drown his mind.

He needed to pay a visit to Amanda Waller.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana lost track of time as she helped Metropolis' residents escape from their prisons of rubble. She knew the world was going to change. _Everything_ was different. Diana looked above and saw the sun begin to descend past the horizon, changing day into night.

"You should rest, Diana." J'onn said from beside her, "Your leg is still wounded and all the trapped civilians have been rescued. The rubble will be here tomorrow. _Go_ and rest, Diana." He stared at her, "Make sure _he_ will be alright." He floated away.

Diana knew that J'onn was alluding to his brother.

She also knew that he was right and rose into the sky, clouds surrounding her in a blanket. She gingerly fingered her wound. It was slowly knitting together and had stopped bleeding. Faora had truly been a worthy opponent even if that woman had _no_ morality. She imagined that was how Ares was, unempathetic and delighted in the suffering of others, a _monster_.

Diana hadn't seen Kal for several hours but she knew where he would be. She glided through the air until she reached her location.

He was easily seen as he stared at all the dead bodies the paramedics had collected, blankets thrown over the corpses.

Diana floated next to him and grabbed his hand. She frowned when Kal didn't even squeeze her palm. She looked at his face and what she saw worried her.

Lifeless features stared at the slain; eyes that Diana knew could see everything seemed to see _nothing_.

"Kal?" She asked gently, thumb rubbing his limp hand. She was beginning to think something was wrong when he finally responded.

"They are all dead because of _me_."

Diana frantically shook her head, "No! We _both_ know that is not true. The blame lies solely with Zod and Faora."

"They're both dead." He said flatly; it scared her, "The world will need a scapegoat and they would be right to condemn me; _I_ led Zod here. I'm responsible-"

Diana hovered higher and gripped Kal's face tightly and turned it towards hers. She kissed him, lips softly massaging his own. She lingered until she felt him return the pressure. She pulled back and he blinked, eyes _finally_ showing emotion.

"Come with me," She whispered, kissing him quickly, "Please, I think this would help _both_ of us."

Kal suddenly levitated off the ground, "Okay," Diana smiled and rubbed his cheeks with her thumbs. He closed his eyes and nestled into her touch, "Diana," He whispered brokenly.

"I know, Kal." She gently hugged him, "Themyscira," She said quietly into his neck.

Kal's arms wrapped around them tightly, "Can I just hold you?" He asked desperately.

Diana nodded and placed her feet on top of his own, "Yes, of course, Kal." She kissed his neck softly, "Fly us there. I _trust you_."

Suddenly, they were streaking through the sky faster than Diana had ever been able to fly before. She snuggled closer to Kal's body and closed her eyes.

Hopefully, they could help each other heal.

Time passed quickly and Kal landed on Themyscira, gently setting Diana down, "I hope you don't mind, I didn't know where else to put the ship."

Diana shook her head, "I don't mind at all." She looked at the ship, "Come, let's see if there is a way we can open the Phantom Zone once again." She grabbed his hand and he led her through the hole in the ship's outer armor; Zod's body was thankfully still in the capsule Kal had put it in.

An Android floated closer and Diana noticed it was different than the one that had informed them of Jor-El's termination via Zod.

"Who are you?" Kal asked the still floating Android.

"I am Kelex, the Service Android for the House of El. Your father knew that General Zod of Kandor would come for the Genesis Chamber and also knew that the General would terminate Jor-El's A.I. He reconstructed me and I destroyed the Command Key that General Zod of Kandor inserted, reprogramming it so _you_ are in control, Kal-El. It is a pleasure to see you fully grown, Sir. I yearn to see your brother."

Kal swallowed, "Is there _any_ way to restore my father's A.I?" He asked desperately, gripping Diana's hand tightly.

Kelex floated closer and a tendril of liquid geo landed on Kal's shoulder, "It is possible, Kal-El, but it would take a considerable amount of time."

Kal's relief was all-consuming, "Good," He breathed and Diana smiled at him.

"Sir, you are currently in the presence of a Celestial hybrid. Would you like me to terminate?"

Diana's jaw dropped and she stepped back, prepared to defend herself.

"NO!" Kal yelled and stepped in front of her protectively, "Diana will _always_ be allowed _full_ access!"

"Understood, Sir." Kelex said calmly, "Since the sensors have registered the presence of Kryptonian blood within her, it will be simple-"

" _What?_ " Diana asked incredulously, Kal looked just as baffled.

Kelex floated forward, liquid geo forming into a picture of _her_ DNA, "You have Kryptonian DNA, Mistress Diana."

"No, she doesn't!" Kal yelled, "I checked when she first appeared in the world. Her DNA is _nothing_ like mine. It's similar in its complexity, but it is _not_ Kryptonian."

"Not her Celestial blood, Kal-El. Her _human_ blood contains traces of Kryptonian DNA. Look for yourself." Kelex pointed at Diana with a tendril of liquid geo.

Kal slowly turned towards her and he focused on her arms. His eyes almost seemed to glow white for a split second. His face morphed into shock, "How is this possible?" He whispered, "It's Kryptonian, yet it is different."

" _I_ have _Kryptonian_ DNA?" Diana said incredulously, "No, I am the daughter of Zeus, a Celestial, and the granddaughter of Aphrodite, another Celestial. I am an Amazon, bringer of peace."

"The DNA is not the _same_ as yours, Sir. It has been watered down and manipulated. May I venture a guess, Sir, and Mistress?"

Kal wearily sat down in front of Kelex. Diana followed his example, "Go ahead, Kelex." Kal muttered.

"Have you noticed the empty pod in the Scout Ship, Kal-El? All the others had bodies, but one did not. Did you see it?"

"Yeah, are you saying that there is another Kryptonian on Earth? One who has been here for over 20,000 years?" Kal leaned forward, eager for Kelex's answer.

"No, Kal-El. I have scanned the entire planet and there are no more full Kryptonians on Earth."

" _Full Kryptonians?_ Are there… _hybrids_ out there?"

"Mistress Diana contains Celestial DNA as well as Kryptonian, diluted Kryptonian blood and there is also a race under this planet's ocean which contains Kryptonian DNA, similar to Mistress Diana's in how diluted it is."

"The Atlanteans." Diana murmured.

"My hypothesis is, when this Scout Ship crashed eons ago, there was one survivor. The empty pod attests to my contention." Kelex said, "I will allow you to witness the ship as it was before it crashed."

The ship became dark and then, there were two people, a male, and female, two _Kryptonians_. One was proudly wearing the House of El crest.

" _You killed all of them!"_ _The female roared, jumping at the man._

 _The man easily evaded and laughed, "Please, Kara. Did you truly think I wouldn't somehow escape?"_

" _How did you escape, Dev-Em?" Kara asked, fists clenching tightly, "The High Council banished you to the Phantom Zone!"_

" _Kara Zor-El," Dev-Em mocked, "always so smart, yet you can't see what's right in front of you! Nobody believed your testimony! The only reason there was a trial was because of your father! Zor-El is, oh so, great and wise! Nobody would ever deny him!" He jumped forward and kicked Kara in the face. The female fell to the ground in front of Kal._

He tried to touch her but his hand passed clean through in a shower of blue sparks.

" _I changed the course of the Scout Ship and will soon create a new Kryptonian Colony! One that will rise above all the others and you will be my mate, Kara!" Dev-Em smirked lewdly, "I have always desired you, Kara. That's why I killed Kell-Ur." His face contorted into malignity, "He did not deserve you! I did! I still do!" He jumped out of the way as Kara rushed forward. Dev-Em was unprepared for the hand that gripped his foot and slammed him into the floor with surprising strength._

 _Kara stood up with eyes wide, "What's happening?" She whispered, staring at her hand._

" _The Yellow Sun." Dev-Em said, "Now, we will breed a race of gods together!" Kara's eyes twitched and heat vision fired out of her eyes, slamming Dev-Em into the wall. She blurred forward and punched him continuously. Each punch created sonic booms and when she noticed that they didn't even seem to harm Dev-Em, she wrapped her leg behind his and pulled back._

 _Dev-Em stumbled and Kara took the opportunity to whirl around him and grip his neck, "Goodbye, Dev-Em!" She hissed and grunted as she broke his neck._

The scene suddenly vanished, leaving the ship alight with color. Kal looked at Kelex, "She was a member of the House of El?"

"Yes, Kara Zor-El was the daughter of Zor-El and the elder sister of Kon-El, your direct ancestor, Kal-El. She was never found after Krypton lost contact with this Scout Ship."

"So, _my_ ancestor lived?" Kal began to grow passionate, creating theories about Kara being alive, "Where is _she?_ "

"I do not know, Kal-El. I do not know for certain what happened, but I believe she stayed on Earth and created these Atlanteans as Mistress Diana provided. That is the most logical conclusion that supports the facts presented and attained. Since Kara Zor-El was the daughter of Zor-El, she did have an affinity for a Thinker even though she was a member of the Explorer Guild. She managed to genetically manipulate a sparse few human males DNA so it would become compatible with Kryptonian. I suspect she mated with them and eventually, new civilizations formed. Groups were created and the Atlanteans built their city beneath the ocean and have adapted to be able to breathe underwater and survive indefinitely underneath the immense pressure of the ocean. I do not know about Mistress Diana's race but I do know that these new races evolved, adapted to Earth's atmosphere and yellow sun for thousands of years; becoming stronger than humans by a wide margin."

Diana was in shock. This was different from the knowledge that _she_ was an alien. She didn't know what to think. Was her _whole_ life a lie? First, she was of the mindset that she was a normal Amazon and then she turned out to be the daughter of Zeus. The Olympians were really the remnants from the ancient race of Celestials that the Kryptonians had eradicated. Now, she learned that her Amazon sisters, her _mother_ wasn't even human. They were descendants of Krypton, the _eradicators._ Was she _human_ at all?

Yes.

Kara Zor-El may have genetically manipulated males so she could mate with them, but she couldn't take away their humanity. Diana _was_ part human, a small part, and she was more than happy to claim kinship to the human race.

Kal seemed frozen, brain processing everything Kelex had explained, "Do you have _any_ guess as to where Kara Zor-El is?"

Kelex floated closer and tendrils of liquid geo swarmed around him, "There are several possibilities. One of the most probable is that the Celestials deemed her a threat and killed her, avenging their fallen kin from the eradication eons ago."

Diana winced. That sounded exactly what her father would do. She hoped it wasn't true. Would Kal blame her for his ancestor's death because she was of the same blood as Zeus?

"Is there a possibility she is alive?"

" _Very_ slim, Sir. The other most probable outcome is that Kara Zor-El most likely left the planet thousands of years ago and wandered space, seeking out the Kryptonian outposts. The fact that no contact was ever made between Krypton and Kara attests to her demise."

"Daxam," Kal whispered, face contorting in sorrow, "When Zod was in my mind while Diana and I were aboard the Black Zero, he showed me how he and his loyalists arrived on Daxam and all they found was _death._ " He swallowed, "I was able to see through Zod's memories; there was a woman wearing the House of El symbol and even though she had clearly been dead for a _long_ time, that was definitely Kara. 'The Desecration Without Name' that's what Zod had said decimated the outpost."

"I'm sorry, Sir, for your loss. Jor-El was a tremendous man, the smartest Thinker in many generations. I regret that you had to kill General Zod; he was once a great man and acquitted himself with honor. I am sorry that Krypton is gone, Kal-El."

Diana squeezed Kal's hand, "You're not alone, Kal. I will be here and so will J'onn."

Kal pulled her into a fierce hug, " _Thank you_ , Diana." He breathed into her hair. Diana kissed his neck and tried to pour all her affection into the gesture, "I'm sure Kelex can heal your injury."

Diana nodded into his neck but didn't say anything; it didn't matter if Kelex was able to heal it or not, she would be fine in a day.

"Kelex, heal Diana's leg."

"As you wish, Sir." Kelex suddenly appeared by her leg and scanned the appendage, "Healing has already begun, Mistress Diana. You still have torn ligaments, muscles, and your femoral artery has been nicked. You also have a cavity in your femur bone. Based on your current rate of healing, it will take approximately three hours and twenty-seven minutes for you to fully recover. Would you still like me to heal your injury, Mistress Diana?"

"Yes, Kelex," Diana said clearly, impressed with the Android's prognosis. She felt a slight stinging pain and she looked down and watched in awe as her ligaments, muscles, femoral artery, and femur bone mended themselves together in seconds. Soon, her skin stitched itself together and looked brand new; no sign of an injury was present.

"What about the Genesis Chamber? Did my plan work?" Diana looked up at Kal in alarm. What plan?

"The Genesis Chamber is fully operational and intact, Sir. I have ordered maintenance drones to begin improvements to the ship, Kal-El."

" _Improvements?_ "

"I tasked the drones to retrofit a Phantom Drive to the ship, Sir."

Kal nodded, "Okay, will the ship fly?"

"Yes, sir. A new command chair will need to be built but once that is complete, it will fly, Kal-El. If needed, they are several smaller crafts in the docking bay that can be retrofitted with Phantom Drives, Sir."

"Do it,"

"As you wish, Kal-El."

"Will Zod heal?" Kal asked abruptly, pointing at the General's corpse. "Wait, what about the corpses in the pods? Will they heal?"

"It is more than possible, Kal-El, but if you are thinking of allowing him and the others to heal, I _urge_ you to reconsider."

" _Why?_ "

"Kryptonians have healed from wounds before that would kill any other species, healed from death itself. When that happened, their memory restarted as if they were an infant. They didn't remember _anything_ from their previous life. They were a blank canvas and became someone else, creating a new personality. Precious bonds that were formed in a previous life no longer held any meaning and the High Council eventually decreed that the practice was forbidden. Problems still arose when the fallen still healed on their own, by their own healing factors. To keep the dead from healing, the High Council offered the slain bodies to Rao, the super-giant Red Sun as an offering for great nourishment to be provided to the _living_ Kryptonians. Then, the bodies were sent into Rao and he swallowed them with a mighty roar."

"I wasn't thinking about healing Zod and the others but that is good to know. The lore of my people is _very_ interesting." Kal said quietly and Diana agreed with his admission. To her, Krypton was fascinating, "Is there a way to open the Phantom Zone from this ship?"

"Not currently, Sir. I can task the drones with creating a Phantom Zone Projector as soon as they finish with the retrofitting of the Phantom Drive."

"Do it," Kal said, looking sorrowfully at Zod's body. Diana rubbed his arm sympathetically.

Kal blinked, "Alright, I want… Zod's _body_ contained. I _don't_ want him to heal. Can you do that, Kelex?"

"I will see to it personally, Sir." Kelex floated forward, tendrils sliding under Zod's body in the capsule and carrying it away.

Diana pulled away from Kal, "I want to show you something." She said quietly, _vulnerably_.

Kal looked thankful; he didn't want to stay on the ship, "Okay," Diana smiled at him gratefully and pulled him out of the hole and Themyscira greeted them.

Grief flooded Diana as memories of _that_ night assaulted her mind. Kal's reassuring presence gave her the strength to continue forward, to face the horrors that haunted her.

They landed in the main city, "I used to run through these streets to avoid training." She recalled solemnly, "When I first started, I actually loathed training sessions with my mother." She chuckled quietly, "One time, I knocked down an entire wall as I tried to elude my mother's guards grasp. I was in big trouble and was forced to rebuild the wall by myself for punishment."

"Sounds fun," Kal said sarcastically.

Diana laughed, "It was _terrible_ , it took me over a week to finish building that _one_ wall. As you can see," She gestured in front of them, "I must have done a good job because it survived Ares' onslaught." She quieted.

Kal squeezed her hand tightly, "I'm here," He said; it was enough.

Diana sniffed, "I haven't been back here since it happened. I failed my family and wasn't there when Ares _slaughtered_ them." Tears slid down her cheeks, "I was too _busy_ trying to sneak into the Sanctum." She trailed off and tears streamed from her eyes like faucets.

Kal pulled her into a hug and kissed her hair, "I'm _so_ sorry," He whispered and squeezed her tightly; Diana squeezed back, "Your sisters and mother might be gone, but they will _always_ live on, in _you_. Your family continues to live with you, Diana, in _your_ heart. _Nobody_ can take that from you, Diana. Not even Ares." He said passionately.

Diana shuddered against his chest in sorrow, "I… miss them _so much!_ " She was sobbing but she didn't care; her mother once told her that a true warrior was unafraid to show emotion, "Then, _Zeus_ didn't even punish Ares! He just…" She trailed off and rage swiftly replaced her sorrow, "I want to KILL HIM!" She roared, tearing herself from Kal's arms, "I want to watch the _life leave his eyes_ the same way I watched the life leave _my mother's_!" She felt lightning sizzle through her blood, demanding to be unleashed; she compacted _all_ her hate and rage into a single lightning strike that she shot into the sky.

A massive shockwave erupted in the heavens and Diana fell to her knees as thunder roared in the sky, temporarily making her deaf. She felt Kal kneel beside her and pull her into his arms.

He didn't say anything. He held her. Diana didn't know how long; time had lost all meaning as she laid against his chest. She closed her eyes and took comfort from his embrace. He was rubbing her thigh soothingly, gently whispering words of consolation.

She pulled back and he looked at her tenderly. Diana was overwhelmed with emotion and leaned up, kissing him softly, _lovingly_.

"What was that for?" He asked when she pulled back.

"For being _you_ and accepting all of… _this._ " She gestured to Themyscira, the blanket of misery that suffocated her.

Kal smiled gently, "We're a team." He said simply, "You've helped me through my lowest point and now, I can help you."

Diana wiped away the new tears that welled in her eyes, "We make a good team." She looked around, "I want you to meet someone." She said quietly.

Kal stood up and followed her.

Diana entered the Throne Room in the palace and stared at her mother's body, "I _couldn't_ bury her." She sniffed, ashamed of her cowardice.

Kal shook his head, "That's okay, you can do that now. I will be here to help you, Diana."

She kneeled beside her mother, she was decayed but her features were still more than recognizable. Diana gripped her mother's hand, "Hello, Mother." She said softly, "I'm _sorry_ that I wasn't there to _save you_. But I'm here _now_ to honor you properly." She felt Kal squeeze her other hand reassuringly, "I will always strive to keep your teachings in my heart, Mother. _Thank you_ for raising me and _loving_ me. I never realized how blessed I was until… you were _gone._ " Tears fell out of her eyes, "I _love you_ , Mother." She choked out and Kal kissed her hair.

Diana let go of her mother's hand and rested against Kal. She felt better; she was _finally_ releasing her grief and guilt, freeing herself from the past.

She wouldn't have been able to do it without Kal by her side.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Bruce Wayne left a trail of bodies as he maneuvered his way through the A.R.G.U.S facility. Now that the agony matrix threat was neutralized, he was able to do what he had wanted to do for a decade.

He swiftly bypassed a group of guards, killing them by use of their own weapons. He did feel slightly guilty for their deaths but they worked for A.R.G.U.S. They knew what they were doing and had it coming.

The _only_ reason he was able to make it this far in his objective was that of what happened in Metropolis. All of A.R.G.U.S' resources were being directed towards the happenings in the city. They weren't expecting _any_ direct attack on their main facility; a fatal mistake. A mistake that would end in the head of the snake being severed.

He knew _exactly_ where Waller would be; the woman claimed to be a genius but she was truly predictable. Undoubtedly, the woman had noticed his rampage through the facility. Apparently, she was waiting for him to find her, she hadn't used the matrix or he would have felt it buzz in his hand. She was doing what she had done last time!

Bruce entered the elevator and the doors shut, music started playing but he ignored it. He pressed the emergency button and a sliver of the wall opened, revealing more buttons. He typed in the code and the elevator descended, bringing him closer to _that_ woman!

He mentally counted the seconds and when 13 seconds had passed, Bruce jumped up and maneuvered himself so he was spread-eagle, hands and feet braced against the top of the wall; no one could see him.

The elevator stopped and the doors slowly opened, bright light reflecting off the metal, bathing the elevator in a radiant glow.

"FIRE!"

Hundreds of bullets embedded themselves into the elevator as one of Waller's elite death squads tried to kill him. Bruce winced as the sound of the bullets made his ears ring; his tinnitus was beginning to tamper with his hearing.

Then, all was thankfully silent. Bruce saw several shadows walk towards the elevator and he was ready.

He felt his hatred flood his body, strengthening him. When the tip of an MP40 entered his vision, Bruce attacked. He dove down and grabbed the tip of the gun and yanked. A man stumbled into the elevator and Bruce slit his throat with a batarang; the man collapsed to the ground, choking on his own blood.

Bruce sprang forward, rolling to the side as bullets narrowly missed his form. He grabbed the fallen MP40 and opened fire on the assassins; they fell with cries of pain and were dead almost instantly. He heard the sound of guns reloading from beyond the elevator and Bruce used the slain as shields. Bullets tore through the bodies and Bruce felt several hit his chest guard; those would leave nasty bruises.

He reached down and plucked some of his sticky bombs off his belt. When he heard clicks of empty guns, Bruce tossed the grenades out of the elevator and waited.

After exactly 2.5 seconds, the bombs exploded and Bruce heard bodies slam into walls with a satisfying _crunch_. He waited several more seconds and stood up, MP40 in hand as he stalked out of the elevator.

One of the assassins pitifully tried to crawl away but couldn't; his legs were blown apart, "Don't do this!"

Bruce ignored the man and fired a single shot in between the man's eyes; the assassin's head exploded into a mist of red, polluting the air. "Your welcome," He muttered. The man didn't have to suffer for hours until he bled out.

"Waller will kill you, Batman."

Bruce looked to his left and saw one of the assassins hanging off the wall, shrapnel sticking out of his chest, blood streaming into a puddle on the floor.

"No, _she_ won't." He said and put the man out of his misery. Making sure the other assassins were dead by firing more bullets into their still bodies, Bruce walked the familiar halls and stopped at a wall.

He suddenly thrust his foot forward into the wall and it broke apart, splinters of wood spraying everywhere. Bruce jumped into the room, gun prepared to kill Waller.

" _Batman_ , how nice of you to join _us_." Bruce stared at Waller's shadowed form, gun pointed directly at her.

" _Us?_ " He growled out and despite himself, fear began to creep into his mind. It was _just_ like _last_ time!

"Of course, Batman. Ms. Kyle and I were just talking about you." A light suddenly flashed behind Waller and it was _happening again!_

 _Bruce had planned this operation for months and was finally ready to commence, ready to kill that woman! He needed that chip out! He needed to be out from under that woman's disgusting thumb! Now, he would finally be free!_

 _He snuck through the A.R.G.U.S facility, the shadows were his ally as the agents were none the wiser that he could easily kill all of them._

 _Fools._

 _He finally arrived at Waller's office and he knew something was wrong the second he noticed that the door was unlocked, waiting for someone to enter. Against his judgment, Bruce entered the room and darkness clouded everything, obscuring his vision._

 _The door suddenly slammed shut, "I had hoped it wouldn't come to this, Batman. You are an irreplaceable asset; one that I cannot afford to lose. I am doing what I must for the better of our world." The lights in the room blinded him for a moment and when his eyes adjusted, Bruce paled. Fear spread through his body as what could only be described as a nightmare stared back at him._

 _Jason was tied in a chair, cuts and dark bruises littered his face. Blood was streaming out of several puncture wounds in his legs and the Joker was standing behind him, grinning lecherously._

 _Bruce swallowed, "Okay, Waller." He raised his hands in defeat, "You won. Let him go. Do whatever you want to me, but let him go!" He cried, hoping with every fiber of his body that mercy would be gifted._

 _Waller hummed and held up her hand, revealing what she was holding; a small device with a red button, "I think this would be the perfect opportunity to show you what happens when you disobey me, defy me, Batman." She looked delighted and her eyes gleamed triumphantly in the light. Her thin lips curved into an odious smirk, "Let this be a lesson to you, Batman!"_

 _She pressed the button and Bruce roared in agony, falling to his knees as pain flooded his body. It was everywhere! It was endless, no beginning and no end! He didn't know how long he was on the floor; time had lost all meaning._

 _Then, it gratefully stopped and Waller laughed, "Harley, would you care to do the honors?"_

" _You betcha!" Bruce heard and felt Harley Quinn grab him, putting him in a chair. He tried to defend himself but he was too exhausted, limbs twitching as he tried to stop her but it was useless._

" _I want you to remember this moment, Batman." Waller said condescendingly, eyes alight with satisfaction, "Whenever you fantasize about rebelling against me, you will always think of what happened today. It will forever haunt you for the rest of your miserable days." Upon her declaration, his body clenched up and something cold rippled up his spine._

 _Bruce tried to escape from the bonds tying him to the chair but he couldn't! Jason was staring at him in fear; they were face to face, only several feet away, "Amanda!" He roared, "Stop! Don't do this! Please! Torture me! Not him! Please!" He begged incessantly, pleas tumbling out of his lips._

 _Waller ignored his cries, lighting a cigarette and looked at the Joker, "Whenever you're ready." Smoke puffed out of her thin lips and Jason coughed strenuously, blood dripping out of his mouth._

 _The Joker clapped his hands gleefully and picked up a metal crowbar, rubbing it lecherously._

 **XxX(MATURE CONTENT!)XxX**

 _The psychopath closed his eyes and Bruce saw a bulge grow into the purple pants as the Joker's erection became more than noticeable. He smacked Jason on the leg and the boy cried out in pain. The Joker dropped the crowbar and it fell to the ground loudly, bouncing for several seconds. He unzipped his pants and his purple trousers pooled at his feet._

 _Bruce's eyes widened and panic flooded his body as he realized what was about to happen._

" _NO! Don't do this! Stop!" He looked at Waller beseechingly, "Amanda! Please! Let him go! Please! Rape me! Not him! He's innocent! PLEASE! PLEASE! STOP! AMANDA! PLEASE!" Bruce roared._

 _Waller didn't even look at him, "No," She said simply._

 _The Joker kicked the chair over and Jason fell to the ground in a heap, groaning in pain. Bruce struggled with all his might but he wasn't strong enough!_

" _Harley, would you be a dear and hold him down?" The Joker had ripped through the ropes and Jason was sprawled on the floor, arms flailing as he desperately struggled to get away._

" _You betcha, Mister J!" Harley bounded over and sat on Jason's back and smashed her feet into Jason's flailing arms, smiling proudly up at the Joker._

" _AMANDA! I SWEAR ON MY MOTHER'S GRAVE! PLEASE! YOU BITCH!" Bruce screamed until his throat was raw. He felt paralyzed. He watched as the Joker pulled down Jason's pants; the boy that he had welcomed into his home, the boy he thought of as his own son, the boy who Selina saw as her own son._

 _The Joker gently stroked Jason's naked rear and moaned loudly when Jason screamed and struggled, bucking like an enraged bull. Jason looked up at Bruce with such naked terror Bruce felt tears well in his eyes._

 _Jason lay in front of him, chest pinned to the ground. Harley had smashed her feet into his arms, breaking the bones. She sat on his back, humming softly. The Joker was standing over them, pants pooled around his knees and his member twitched excitedly._

 _The Joker winked at Bruce and knelt behind Jason, placing his hands on Jason's hips and lifted his bare buttocks. He positioned himself behind Bruce's son. The boy struggled mightily and whimpered. It was useless._

 _Bruce roared one last time in a futile attempt to stop the nightmare, "AMANDA! PLEASE! NO! STOP!"_

 _The Joker surged forward and Bruce stopped watching, turning away from the grotesque sight. He shook mightily as tears streamed down his cheeks as he wept. Several feet in front of him, he could hear the Joker's quick, rhythmic grunts and Jason's whimpers._

 _To his utter shame, Bruce kept his head turned. He was a coward. Maybe, he had always known that. It made sense. He couldn't do anything when his parents were murdered and now, he couldn't do anything to help Jason, his son. Bruce was a failure._

 _He heard the Joker moan loudly and knew that the bastard had ejaculated, "Harley, would you like a taste?" Bruce's head snapped to the sight and saw Harley Quinn engulf the Joker's softening member in her mouth, cleaning off the mixture of blood and juices._

 _He looked down at Jason and saw betrayal and hate flash through the boy's eyes. Bruce swallowed and tried to speak but couldn't. He was paralyzed._

" _Now, prepare to be amazed by the main event of this evening's show!" The Joker said and grabbed the metal crowbar. Blood had splattered onto its surface and the Joker licked the blood and moaned loudly. He looked back at Bruce - maniacal eyes vs terrified eyes!_

 **XxXxX(MATURE CONTENT OVER)XxXxX**

 _He beamed at Bruce and began hacking the crowbar into Jason while laughing merrily._

 _Bruce screamed for eternity as fresh blood splattered against his skin._

He swallowed and felt tears well in his eyes as the memory from over 3 years ago replayed in his mind.

Selina stared at him calmly. Her eyes showed her trust in him and Bruce clenched his fists, "You are going to die, Amanda." He hissed, stalking forward but froze when Waller pulled out a Glock and placed it on Selina's head while smoking a cigarette. It was happening again! He didn't know what to do! Selina was supposed to be in Keystone! How did Waller kidnap her?

"Batman, Batman, Batman." She shook her head in disdain, smoke puffing out of her thin lips, "I honestly thought you would never try something like this again. Now, I will have to kill your lover. It's such a shame. Ms. Kyle would have made an excellent asset much like yourself, Batman. Only 29 years old and yet possesses an instinct that is rare in the world, let alone for someone as young as her. Alas, you have forced my hand _again_." She sighed heavily and smoke bloomed out of her mouth. She dropped the cigarette into the ornately decorated ashtray and reached into a drawer. She pulled it out a second later and Bruce flinched in memory as the small device with the red button danced in Amanda's hand.

"I suppose you remember how the routine goes, Batman. After all, we have _practiced_ it for a decade." Waller smirked and Bruce reached behind his back.

Bruce watched in slow-motion as Waller's thumb slammed the red button.

Nothing happened.

Waller's eyes widened and Bruce saw his opportunity and grasped it, holding onto it with all his strength.

He grabbed a batarang and threw it at Waller with absolute potency.

It slashed through her arm and she raised a brow mockingly while grimacing in pain, "You missed," She snarked and looked at Selina, "It's unfortunate, dear, that our time together has come to an end. Be sure to give Jason my regards when you see him soon." A second passed and Waller's face contorted in fear.

Bruce stepped forward and plucked the Glock from her numb hand, "I severed your median nerve." He said simply and backhanded her in the face with the butt of the Glock, knocking her out. He slammed his foot into her temple for good measure.

He bounded over to Selina and tore the gag out of her mouth and swiftly untied her.

"Thanks, handsome." She purred and kissed him on the mouth hard, "Thank _you_ , Bruce." She whispered after several seconds.

Bruce pulled her into a hug and squeezed her tightly, "I thought…" His voice shook _slightly_ , "Like last time-"

"It wasn't." She said firmly, " _I'm_ fine and so are you." She rubbed her hands together and looked around the office, "Now, I'm seeing some _very_ nice things in this office. It would be _such_ a shame if I didn't inspect them, make sure they are all up-to-date. Wouldn't you agree, Bruce?"

Despite himself, he smiled, "Help yourself," He didn't care; Waller was a psychopath and didn't deserve _any_ of the stuff in the room. She deserved to suffer!

Bruce was going to make sure of that.

He stalked over and kicked Waller harshly in the stomach. She awoke with a gasp of pain and weakly glared up at him, " _How_? The agony matrix was implanted-"

"The _alien_ did something and took it out. I don't know how and I _don't care_."

" _He_ is a threat, Batman! _He_ could single-handedly wipe out the entire human race! You saw what _he did to_ Metropolis! You saw what he could do! You witnessed his _power!_ _We have_ to destroy _him!_ "

Bruce crouched until he was staring directly into Waller's eyes, "I absolutely agree with _everything_ you just said. _He_ is a threat and needs to be destroyed. I will kill _him_ , Waller. _That_ is a promise but, sadly for you, you won't be there to witness my triumph over that _fiend_. Unfortunately, you killed Jason, my _son_. Now, _you will die!_ "

Waller's eyes shined with rage and fear, "That wasn't _me!_ That was the _Joker,_ you fool! Kill him, not _me!_ "

"The Joker's reckoning _will_ come and he _will die excruciatingly_ but it was _you_ , Waller, that ordered it." Bruce let the memories of _that_ day flow in his mind, bathing his heart in poisonous hatred, " _He_ was only 15 years old! I am going to make you _suffer, bitch!_ " He roared and stabbed a batarang into Waller's leg bone, grinding into the bone harshly. He smiled viciously as he repeatedly jabbed the batarang into her femur bone.

 _That_ woman's scream of agony was music to his ears and Bruce wanted to listen to the sound forever.

He glanced over his shoulder and saw Selina sipping some of the Delmore Vodka Waller kept in her desk. She looked on in satisfaction; she had loved Jason just like he had. She was well accustomed to the sight of blood; after all, she had grown up in the Slums.

He flipped Waller over and made a small incision with the edge of one of his batarangs, planting the agony matrix inside Waller. Now, she will know _true_ pain!

"Bear the fruits of your labor!" He yelled and pressed the red button.

Waller spasmed and her screams of pain echoed throughout the room, bringing peace to Bruce's battered soul. He kept his thumb on the red button as he stepped next to Selina, stealing her glass of vodka and taking a sip.

The alcohol burned pleasantly down his throat and Selina smirked up at him, "Been a while?"

"Yeah, haven't really had time to _relax_." He didn't know if it was because of the unimaginable things he had witnessed the past several days since the _alien_ revealed himself, the memories of Jason's death, or if it was because Waller had been _so_ close to killing her but Bruce didn't care, he pulled Selina into a hug and was content holding onto the woman he had been in love with since he was 30 years old.

"That's getting a little annoying." Her voice was muffled in his chest but Bruce understood.

Waller's screams were beginning to make his tinnitus reveal itself so he let go of the small device and it fell to the ground. He reluctantly let go of Selina and turned around.

"You will die a _very_ excruciating death, Amanda." He said almost happily. _Finally,_ he will have his vengeance! Jason can be avenged. Then, the Joker will die, "First, you _need_ to tell me where the Joker is. I _know_ you have hidden him somewhere. Now, tell me, _where's the Joker?_ " He crouched down.

Waller gurgled, blood beginning to flow out of her mouth, " _Fuck_ you, Batman."

Bruce sighed and swiftly cut off one of her fingers, "The sooner you can provide me with what I want, the sooner I can grant you the sweet release of death." When Waller spit on him Bruce cut off the rest of her fingers on her right hand and stabbed the batarang into the Achilles Heel of her right foot, twisting it gruesomely as blood spurted on to his gloves.

Waller cried out, "I'll _never-_ "

Bruce pulled pliers out of his belt and opened Waller's mouth. Her eyes widened in fear and Bruce delighted in the sight. He placed the pliers on her front tooth and squeezed lightly.

"Come on, Amanda." He taunted and when she weakly tried to escape, Bruce yanked the tooth out.

Waller howled in agony, "I _don't know!_ " Bruce froze and she continued, "He somehow _escaped!_ I haven't heard _anything_ detailing him and Quinn since-"

Bruce roared in rage and slashed Amanda's chest, batarang digging several inches into her skin as Bruce sliced _that_ woman open from the neck to below her navel.

She would die an excruciating death and _that's_ what mattered.

Selina looked a little bilious and raised a brow at his work, "I wouldn't have thought of that."

Bruce nodded and sat down at Waller's desk, hacking into the computer. Selina watched silently as he downloaded _everything_ Waller had and then spread a virus so his presence wouldn't be detected.

"You finished?" Selina asked. Bruce looked up from the computer and saw that the room was bare, everything stolen. He had no idea what she had done with everything.

He chuckled lowly, "Yeah, I'm done."

"Good," She smirked up at him and hooked her arm through his armored one, "I haven't seen Alfred in a while. It will be good to see him. Does he still not like my nickname of 'Al' or has he finally come to his senses and realized it's a _great_ name?"

Bruce stopped and stared down at Selina's mesmerizing features. He had been in the presence of countless beautiful women but none of them inflicted him with the same feelings as Selina did. Not even Diana, who any other man and woman in the world thought was a goddess, Aphrodite herself, could do to him what Selina was able to do effortlessly.

He almost lost her today - just like his parents! Just like Jason! - and she would have never known the depths of his feelings for her.

Selina frowned, concerned at his lack of movement, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"I love you."

She blinked several times and her mouth opened and then closed. Bruce almost chucked; she was always so quick on her feet, this was the first time he had ever seen her speechless.

"No, _you don't."_ She shook her head rapidly, "No! Are you just trying to get in my pants, Bruce?"

He calmly shook his head, "No, I am not trying to get in your pants, Selina. I _do love you_. I've loved you for years! Why do you _think_ I always let you escape from _crime scenes_? Why do you think we had sex so many times on the rooftops of Gotham, each in our 'alter ego' outfits without either of us knowing who the other was? Why do you think, when you broke into my home and tried to steal my mother's pearl necklace, that I didn't kill you? When I found you in the safe, you kissed me and then we had sex and afterward you said that I was Batman. You figured out my identity and I didn't kill you or _anything!_ "

Selina stared up at him, lips parted, "I recognized you when I kissed you." She said quietly.

Bruce figured it was that or the sex. He gently gripped her shoulders, " _I love you_. Whether you return the sentiment doesn't matter. I just-"

Selina yanked his head down and smashed her lips against his. He sighed into her mouth and let himself simply _feel_.

"I love you too, Bruce." She whispered and kissed him again. After several moments, she reluctantly pulled back, "Are we really going to have sex in Amanda Waller's office with the occupant of said office dead several feet to our left?"

Bruce shook his head, "No, I've seen _enough_ of this place."

Selina laughed, "Good. Because I miss that nice bed of yours, Bruce. It's _so_ comfortable."

Bruce smiled slightly, "You can sleep in my bed as much as you want and whenever you want."

Maybe, he could finally find peace. Once that _alien_ was slain by his hand, Bruce could _finally_ have a family of his own. He remembered _J'onn's_ words, _'This crusade of yours, this road of vengeance you have paved towards my brother, will not end the way you think. If you continue, misery will be your lone companion and peace will forever elude your desperate grasp.'_

He ignored the foreboding tones of that statement and couldn't _wait_ until he watched the life flee from the eyes of _Kal-El._

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana wanted to finally give her fallen family a proper burial; she had been too grief-stricken but now, she was _ready._ Kal offered to help and she gladly accepted.

With his help, Diana was able to collect all the bodies and set them on a funeral pyre. Kal wanted to use his heat vision to ignite the pyre but Diana solemnly shook her head.

She grabbed a bow and a flaming arrow, breathing deeply as she watched her family burn. Kal quietly stood by her side as the flames roared, rising several yards high. He didn't say anything; his soothing presence was enough.

Bones cracked and splintered, forming into ash as the wind swept away the remnants of Ares' slaughter.

Tears spilled on Diana's cheeks. She could finally move on, finally, _heal_ from the horrors that lingered on Themyscira. She gripped Kal's hand and knew that it was _her_ turn to help him heal.

She tugged on his hand and Kal followed without hesitation. The silence was comforting to them; no conversation was needed.

Diana led him through the palace, bypassing ancient treasures, weapons, armor, and art. Kal scrutinized the relics as they passed and Diana was happy to see that he looked impressed.

She hadn't walked these halls since the night her mother died; hadn't been able to look at the ancient treasures without feeling like a complete and utter failure.

She climbed the intricate stairway, bright rubies and jewels adorned the railing and Diana trailed her fingers over the beautiful stones. Kal followed behind her, steps silent as he observed the carvings in the marble.

Diana arrived at the top and turned left; a large door greeted them as they stepped closer.

Her old room.

She swallowed as a tide of emotions slammed into her; she endured and pulled Kal into her room.

Upon setting foot in her quarters, Diana smiled as she gazed upon her bed; it was just as she remembered.

" _Thank you,_ Kal." Diana whispered and faced him, "And _I'm sorry_ that I wasn't able to help you detain Zod; I'm so sorry that you had to kill him."

Kal's eyes were stormy, fists clenched, "I didn't want to," He said desperately, imploringly, "It was the only choice; it was either you or him and ultimately, it was an easy decision."

Diana felt tears well in her eyes over what Kal did for _her_. He had killed the last living member of his species for _her_.

Kal was beginning to close himself off, act like he had when Diana found him looking at the fallen. _That_ needed to be rectified. She suddenly kissed him and wrapped her hands around his neck, massaging the muscles pulsing beneath her fingers.

She pulled away slightly, "Let me _love you_ , Kal." Before he could protest, Diana pulled off her armor, leaving herself completely bare before him, letting him see the most sacred parts of her; she smiled shyly up at his awestruck face.

He swallowed, eyes riveted on _her_ , " _Diana,_ we shouldn't-"

She kissed him, rubbing her hands over his suit, "Please, Kal. This will help both of us." She whispered against his lips.

He still looked uncertain so Diana stepped back, "I think I'm in love with you." She said softly, "If you can tell me without hesitation that you don't feel the same, then I will-"

Kal suddenly blurred forward and smashed his lips against hers, tongue invading her mouth as it curled around her own.

Diana moaned into his mouth and she felt him groan in response. He pulled back reluctantly, "I think I'm in love with you too." He stared into her eyes, "I always think about you; you make me feel whole, I'm not lonely when you're around. J'onn may be my brother, but _you_ are my world."

Several tears slid down her cheeks, "You're my world too." She smiled and laughed in amazement, "I love you!" She kissed him quickly and led him to her bed.

In the blink of an eye, Kal was as bare as her and looming over her on the large bed. He leaned down and kissed her passionately, languidly as he savored every moment their lips were fused together. Hands roamed her body and Diana felt a _new_ kind of lightning sizzle through her body, filling her with energy and emotions. He sucked on her lower lip, caressing it while she tasted his upper lip.

She smelt _him_ and it made her want him more. She opened her lips and Kal slowly slid his tongue in, heavy against her own as he traversed her mouth. She was lost in the feel of having him on top of her, between her legs as he ignited her body in ways she never thought possible.

Kal's fingers were digging into the soft skin of her thighs, making Diana moan. She brought her hands up to his shoulders and rubbed, drinking in the feel of him, the taste of him; growing hot and pulsing under the pressure of his hips, _feeling_ his need for _her_ proliferate.

Diana hooked her legs around his waist and flipped him over, switching positions, "I want to be on top, Kal. Let me _love you_." She whispered, hoping he wouldn't feel insulted.

He smiled and gripped her breasts, squeezing gently as he rolled her hardened nipples between his fingers.

Diana moaned loudly and braced her hands on his chest, lowering herself on him slowly. She felt him press against her barrier and before she could second guess herself, she pushed through. She felt her hymen tear and winced. _That_ was painful.

Kal leaned up and kissed her tenderly. Diana returned the kiss and soon her body adjusted to his large girth. Pain soon dissipated into sparks of utter indulgence.

Diana squeezed her abdominal muscles and slid upwards, immediately dropping back down, releasing her muscles. They both groaned in pleasure and rocked their hips together.

She looked down at him as her hips surged into him. _Her_ Kal-El. His cerulean blue eyes were glowing with love and lust, the nerves around his eyes turning black as his heat vision ignited.

She clenched her abdominal muscles as she raised herself slowly, swirling her hips as Kal groaned deeply. She felt _something_ building within her, _something_ begging to flood her body; she was close, but not close _enough_.

Their hips bucked together powerfully, shaking the entire room. Diana's breathing intensified as she moaned greatly, body quaking as she finally came.

Kal followed her moments later with a mighty rumble, his seed spurting into her womb

She laid on top of him, breaths fluttering against his neck, " _That_ was-"

"Yeah," Kal kissed her head, "You do realize that we're not done yet, correct?"

Diana pushed herself up, looming over him, "Absolutely," She smiled brilliantly, "We still have _much_ to accomplish."

He laughed, eyes clear and free from thoughts of Zod, "I love you."

"I love you too." She kissed him again, tongue dominating his own; she felt his member pulse and enlarge as he filled her completely. Diana rode him roughly as they began another intense round of love-making.

The island lightly shook for hours as the two inhabitants of Themyscira found peace in each other, found love in each other.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Picking up the remnants of the house he grew up in brought many emotions. Kal looked down at the desecrated walls and furniture. When he was younger, he often broke things in the house. He was _so_ worried when his parents found out but they were always _so_ patient and understanding. 'They're only things, Clark. That stuff can be replaced but _you_ and your brother cannot.'

He knew he would have to rebuild the entire house; _nothing_ had survived Zod's rage besides the family photo albums. He almost wept when he found them in perfect condition; now, the best moments of his life would never die.

For the past several months, Kal had focused solely on helping the world rebuild. He cleaned up Smallville in a week and was met with a crowd by the time he was finished. 'Thank you, Clark Kent.' They had said, 'Your secret is safe with us, _Superman_.' Pete stepped forward and hugged him; even though Kal didn't even feel it, he let the memory of his mother's hugs play in his mind and hugged Pete back.

Then, he spent a month in Metropolis. Loathing swarmed his mind over what _he_ did. Diana told him it wasn't his fault and maybe she was right, but it _felt_ like it was _Kal's_ fault. With help from Wally, Arthur, Hal, Diana, and J'onn, Metropolis was rebuilt in a little over five weeks; new skyscrapers stood out from the horizon and the rubble had been cleared out.

He flew to the Indian Ocean and collected the World Engine, bringing it back with him to Themyscira. Diana had offered the island as his home and with careful consideration, Kal had agreed. No human knew about the island, it was protected, and it was Diana's home. He wanted to be with her, he loved her, _she_ was his world. J'onn was his brother, his best friend, but based on the hate that targeted J'onn specifically, because of his green skin, his brother might leave the planet. When telepathically communicating, Kal could _hear_ the doubts, fears, and longing to be accepted from his brother's thoughts. Hear the fantasies of leaving Earth and traveling the universe for several years until things settled down.

Humans were _clearly_ not ready for _any_ type of planetary outsiders despite what many would claim. J'onn looked like the typical alien that humans think of, a cliche, a being that is out to eat their brains and conquer Earth.

Kal would support his brother in whatever decision he made.

The League had parted ways from A.R.G.U.S and become its own entity. Amanda Waller was found gruesomely murdered in her office, no one but Kal and J'onn knew it was Bruce Wayne, and none of the heroes had seemed affected. If he wasn't mistaken, which he wasn't, Diana had seemed happier. Bruce Wayne had a small, ghost of a smile, eyes alight with satisfaction when he informed the team.

Batman had not hidden, had not kept it secret, his loathing for Kal and he knew that he would have to give Bruce time to come around. Arthur Curry was _not_ happy with him either and he suspected it had to do with the World Engine in the Indian Ocean. That was another person that he had failed; his mom, his dad, Bruce Wayne, Arthur Curry and now, Oliver Queen.

When he had learned of the Green Arrow's death, Kal closed his eyes in mourning; he always thought that he and Oliver Queen would be great friends once Kal revealed himself. Now, the League was missing one of its key members.

A new headquarters was being built by Bruce Wayne and despite the looks of intense hatred he tossed specifically to Kal and a few to J'onn, the two brothers joined the League.

A new era for the Justice League had risen.

The world didn't necessarily agree with that assessment. People were demanding that Kal and J'onn leave the planet and there were others who worshipped Kal as a god, creating ridiculous shrines and altars in his name. Kal hated it. He was _not_ a god and nor did he want to be thought of one. He was an alien, a Kryptonian, that was raised as a human.

He just simply wanted to be left alone but knew that wasn't an option. There were others besides A.R.G.U.S that wanted the Kryptonian technology. Hal Jordan had warned him numerous times that the Guardians would want it. There was also that Army general that screamed at him when he was carrying the Scout Ship away. The general blamed Kal for the death of somebody named, Lois. Perhaps, the general's wife. Maybe, his daughter. Nevertheless, it was one more person that died because of _him_ , because of his carelessness while fighting Zod.

Wally had encouraged Kal and J'onn to try and fit in with the humans. He told them he interned with the police department in Central City. Nobody knew he was the Flash and he was content with the feeling of belonging and normalcy.

J'onn didn't seem to like the idea much but Kal gave it some thought. He would _need_ a job that allowed him to blend it, know about threats and dangers to the public. A place where nobody would look twice when he went running into danger.

The Daily Planet.

He applied and Perry White had surprisingly offered him a job within a couple of days. Kal accepted and started next week.

He just needed a disguise. People were not stupid. They would _know_ if Superman was in the same room as them. After pondering his dilemma, he picked up his father's pair of glasses and tried them on. The change was instantaneous.

People only see what they want to see.

Without the glasses, he was obviously Superman. Without them, he was now a dorky-looking farm boy. He visited Kelex and the Android made some minor repairs to the frames so they were now made of Kryptonian metal. The actual glass was now made from some element from Krypton and changed his eye color from cerulean blue to a dark, hazel, brown.

"You know, I think we should make some changes to the house."

Kal glanced over his shoulder and saw J'onn standing outside, "Oh, yeah? Like what?"

"Make it more durable."

He laughed, "That would help a lot. Alright, let's do it."

For the rest of the day, the two brothers made the house better than ever before and reminisced about their childhood.

By the time night had fallen, the house was finished. Kal was drinking a beer and J'onn ate Oreos on the couch while watching the news.

" _These two need to leave the planet. They don't belong here. Especially, the green one. At least this, Kal-El,"_ The man on screen sneered the name in absolute disgust, " _looks human. The other one looks like an abomination, the devil incarnate."_

Kal angrily turned the television off and looked down at his hands.

"I think I'm going to leave." Kal closed his eyes at the admission from his brother. An admission he had been expecting for several days. J'onn didn't say anything else nor did he need to.

"How?"

"I'll go to Kelex and grab a small ship with a Phantom Drive. I just… need time."

"I understand." Kal stood up and hugged his brother. For several moments, the two brothers embraced tightly.

"I want you to take care of Diana." His brother whispered.

"Always,"

"I want you to be _Superman_ , a beacon of hope to the world."

"I will, I promise."

J'onn stepped back, "Good, I _will_ come back. I don't know when but I do know that I will return."

"When will you leave?"

"I was thinking of next week."

The two brothers sat in silence; so much had been shared between them but no words could provide what they were feeling.

"When I return, I expect to have some nieces and nephews." J'onn teased.

Kal chuckled, "When you return, I expect for you to have found someone like I found Diana; someone to love you and always have your back."

"I guess we have come to an accord."

"Yeah," Kal closed his eyes, _"I love you, brother. Don't ever forget that. I will always be one call away. You need something, I will immediately leave the planet and help you."_

J'onn's eyes glowed, _"I feel the same. I will return if you need me. I love you, brother, and will not ever forget it as long as you remember that I love you."_

They might not be brothers by blood but they _were_ brothers. Nothing could ever separate them, not even galaxies and both Kal and J'onn knew that they would do anything for each other.

Destiny had presented each a crossroads, one that didn't lead them down the same path, but both had made their decisions with enlightenment. The Last Son of Krypton and the Last Son of Ma'aleca'andra were each heading in a new direction but both knew their paths would cross once again.

XxXxXxXxXxX

 **What do you think? Leave a review and tell me!**

" **Είμαι Αμαζόνιος, φέρνοντας ειρήνη," translates to: "I am an Amazon, Bringer of Peace." I thought that the Bermuda Triangle would be a good place for Themyscira and always liked the idea of a saying like "open sesame" revealing Themyscira. I know it's cheesy, but I like it.**

 **So,** _ **a lot**_ **of stuff happened in this chapter. Let's delve right in:**

 ****Lois Lane kicked the bucket! I have never liked her character or the way she has been portrayed. (The lone exception is the Lois Lane in the TV show,** _ **Smallville**_ **. I tolerate the DCEU one as well but that's it.) I know some people love the "god falls in love with a mortal" cliche but it doesn't make sense. With just a** _ **tiny tap**_ **, Kal could turn Lois into dust; she is so fragile and Kal would need to be paranoid at** _ **all times.**_ **He deserves not to be paranoid all the time. That's why I am such a huge fan of SM/WW because, really, the two characters are perfect for each other. They both share the same goals, ideals, philosophy, and so much more. Yet, they are also different as well so they can challenge each other. They are close if not equals, in terms of power; they are free to let their guard down when in the other's presence. They are free to be their** _ **true**_ **selves; just Diana and Kal-El. Whereas, Lois was** _ **always**_ **blinded by the** _ **idea**_ **of Superman and utterly failed to see that Clark Kent was hopelessly in love with her, willing to do anything to please her. That's not healthy. It's disrespectful to** _ **force**_ **that relationship. The TV show,** _ **Smallville,**_ **took 8-9 seasons for Lois and Clark to finally do it. That was realistic. Kal would never have to wait for almost a decade for someone like Diana because** _ **she understands.**_

 ****The Amazons and Atlanteans are descendants of Kara Zor-El, who survived the Scout Ship crashing over 20,000 years ago, and built new civilizations, adopting their own beliefs and culture/mythology. I** _ **know**_ **that some of you might not like that, you might hate it, but hear me out before you start raging.**

 **It is a great theory and it** _ **makes sense.**_ **The Kryptonians colonized countless worlds. What if that happened to Earth? Personally, I love the idea of Kryptonians tampering with the genetics of humans. What if meta-humans exist because of the Kryptonians? I have integrated some of that into the story (not the meta-humans, just Amazons and Atlanteans) but that doesn't mean that the Amazons and Atlanteans are now Kryptonians. They are** _ **still**_ **Amazons and Atlanteans. Think of it like this: If someone lives in America, they are descendants of German, Irish, or British settlers that migrated over to the United States centuries ago. People in America know that their bloodlines originated in Europe/Asia, thus making them European but they still think of themselves as Americans because** _ **they are Americans**_ **. Even though they have European blood,** _ **they are American.**_ **It's the same for the Amazons and Atlanteans. They are still Amazons and Atlanteans even though their respective bloodlines, their roots, originate from Kara Zor-El, a Kryptonian.**

 ****Now you know why Batman is the way he is, the** _ **true**_ **reason he is more reminiscent of a psychopath rather than a caped crusader. For those who saw the Mature Content warning and skipped over it: Jason, Bruce's protege Robin and son, was raped (Based on scene from the Kite Runner novel; excellent book) by the Joker and then killed,** _ **all right in front of Bruce.**_ **I have read** _ **hundreds,**_ **thousands, of comments that say people love the Joker, that Ledger's Joker is the best depiction of the character. That's fine and I respect your opinion but** _ **this**_ **is the Joker at his core, the** _ **truest**_ **depiction in my mind. He is the lowest of scum and has** _ **no morals whatsoever.**_ **He is the most vile of humanity; he is a ruthless and indiscriminate killer who Batman, in my opinion, should have killed a long time ago. "Some men just want to watch the world burn."** _ **That**_ **summarizes the Joker's** _ **entire**_ **character** _ **perfectly**_ **. (In case you didn't know, that quote is from the Christopher Nolan movie,** _ **The Dark Knight**_ **. It's a great movie even though I was never a fan of Christian Bale's, the actor who portrays Bruce Wayne, Batman.) Because of Batman's "No Kill" rule, innocent civilians have been terrorized by the Joker, lives** _ **forever**_ **changed, just like Bruce's was the night his parents were murdered, because of it. It is** _ **selfish**_ **for Batman to show mercy continually on the Joker, only for the maniac to kill more children. Bruce Wayne was too selfish, too afraid to get his hands dirty.** _ **That is not**_ **happening in my story. What does taking the moral high ground do for him in the long run? Maybe, a few less nightmares while Gotham and it's innocent inhabitants suffer? He swore to put his own needs** _ **after**_ **the city; the city comes first, Gotham and its inhabitants come first. How can he do that by letting rapists, murderers, and** _ **scum**_ **continue to thrive? People like the Joker** _ **do not deserve**_ **to live. They are a menace to society and endanger the lives of** _ **hundreds of innocents because they kill for fun, because they enjoy it.**_ **That's why there is the concept of the death penalty. That's** _ **my opinion**_ **. If you disagree, I respect your feelings and can even understand them.**

 **At the very least, Bruce could upgrade Arkham Asylum with the greatest technology on Earth so the Joker and others like him wouldn't be able to escape. Maybe, build a prison on the moon like in the movie,** _ **Men in Black 3**_ **.**

 **Batman has dedicated himself to Gotham and has witnessed some of the worst men could ever offer. It's realistic for Bruce to become jaded because of that. His parents were murdered** _ **right in front of him**_ **. He watched as life itself was extinguished from his parent's eyes. That shaped his entire life. Amanda Waller then blackmailed him for a decade with** _ **severe**_ **torture to work for the government, doing their dirty work. Now, in my story, Jason - who Bruce saw** _ **as his own**_ **son and adopted him - was brutally raped and then murdered right before his eyes by his archenemy. Trauma to** _ **that**_ **degree** _ **always**_ **haunts someone for the rest of their life. His entire life has been** _ **dark.**_ **That darkness, that** _ **trauma**_ **, eventually begins to poison a person's soul. Batman can't fight it, he's only human. "If you can't beat them, join them." Bruce has realized that you can only fight darkness with darkness. It takes a monster to hunt other monsters. Bruce stands apart from society in order to keep it safe from people like him, Waller, and the Joker.**

 **Bruce Wayne has dedicated his entire life to stopping criminals only for the world to** _ **take so much**_ **from him, leaving him like a barren husk of himself. Now, he has become the very thing he dedicated himself to stopping: a monster. He has become a demon that other monsters like himself fear.**

 ****I added Selina Kyle into the story because I've always liked the relationship she and Bruce had. She will be an anchor for Bruce so he doesn't become like the Joker or Waller; a monster.**

 ****J'onn plans to leave! Don't worry. If he** _ **does**_ **leave, he'll be back. He's one of my favorite characters.**

 **I posted another Superman story,** _ **A Change in Destiny**_ **. It will be SM/WW; check it out if you have time!**

 **Sorry for the long Author's Note. I just wanted to explain my reasoning for why I did what I did. I always liked it when fellow authors did the same. Tell me what you think!**

 _ **Stay Safe**_

 **ButtonPusher**


	8. Chapter 7

**Thanks for all the reviews! I love hearing all of the feedback from you guys! It makes my day every time I see a new review!**

 **Okay, I realized that I made a mistake; my portrayal of Robin had been as Dick Grayson. I have since realized that that decision was an error on my part and that he should have been Jason Todd. After all, the Joker savagely murdered Jason Todd in the comics and that fits in much better with this story. I have edited the other chapters and replaced Dik with Jason. Everything that has previously happened is the same except for the incarnation of Robin. I am so terribly sorry for this inconvenience.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Justice League or any of the characters associated with DC Comics.**

XxXxXxXxXxX

 _Two years after the destruction of Metropolis..._

Bruce Wayne stared at the computer screen in the Batcave; a hostage situation in a bank was being reported in Metropolis. From the report, 18 masked individuals had infiltrated the bank and over 150 civilians were being held at gunpoint and if the robbers' needs weren't met in 30 minutes, the hostages would be shot, one-by-one.

He hated it!

There was nothing he could do! He couldn't get to Metropolis that fast. He had no powers; he was only human. He couldn't save them - just like his parents! Just like Jason!

"Have you tried calling on the others?" Selina asked from behind him.

Bruce growled, "Yes, nobody is answering."

"What are the demands?"

"It hasn't said."

"Any leads on who they are?"

"They're professionals; cameras, phones, doors, _everything_ has been disabled." Bruce pounded his clenched fist on the table, rattling the computer. "I tried to hack into the bank's system but it was offline."

"Bruce," Selina chided gently. "What does-"

The news report interrupted her.

" _Superman and Wonder Woman have arrived at the scene!"_ The news anchor shouted, features brightening upon the arrival of the god-like superheroes. _"They were seen entering the building over 30 seconds ago. There has been no change- oh, wait!"_ Bruce's eyes widened and he saw Selina lean forward, hair tickling the side of his face, " _People are appearing everywhere! Superman has saved the hostages! Every second, two new people arrive! This is incredible! What a gift Kal-El has been to the people of Earth."_

Selina sighed, "At least the situation has been neutralized."

Bruce begrudgingly nodded and continued to stare at the screen. An elderly man had just appeared and he saw Superman yelling for help. The man was bleeding quite badly.

" _It appears one of the hostages has been shot! Superman has handed the man over to the paramedics."_ The bank's main wall suddenly exploded and people shrieked away; running from the terror of the unknown.

Bruce saw Diana emerge, seething, as her eyes glowed. He saw her Lasso wrapped around the 18 masked individuals tightly. Superman suddenly appeared by her side and the masked individuals all cried in fear.

" _No, please! Have mercy!"_ One of the men shouted.

Bruce blinked and the scene completely changed.

The robbers were all huddled together, lamppost tied around their forms. Diana was curling her Lasso around her hip and Superman frowned at the criminals.

" _What an extraordinary effort from the combined might of our beloved superheroes, Superman and Wonder Woman."_ The news anchor turned around and ten black, military-grade SUV's arrived on the scene, " _Oh, what's this? It appears to be reinforcements-"_ The news anchor gasped and turned back to the camera, eyes wide with shock, _"The President! The President has arrived! President Luthor has arrived at the scene!"_

The camera zoomed past her and sure enough, Lex Luthor calmly, arrogantly, walked towards the camera, charisma oozing off his cold and meticulous smile.

Bruce hated that man. Not as much as he hated Waller, the Joker, and Harley Quinn but it was still deep. He would never say aloud that it was because of jealousy; he was nowhere near as intelligent as Luthor.

" _President Luthor! What do you have to say about the events that have transpired here today?"_ The anchor asked, microphone stretched in Luthor's direction.

Superman and Diana were still standing by the robbers and Bruce saw Luthor's eyes dart to them in poisonous contempt.

The President stepped closer and smoothly pulled the microphone from the anchor's grip. He turned towards the camera and conveyed a sense disappointment combined with anger. " _This was designed to be a government assessment of Metropolis' police forces."_ Even though Luthor sounded completely calm and patient, the disdain that burned within the soulless depths of his eyes was apparent to Bruce, _"Superman and Wonder Woman were not supposed to interfere. They are continuing to meddle in government-level interventions. They are putting the public at risk. That is unacceptable."_

" _That man was shot!"_ Superman cried out from his position.

Lex Luthor didn't bat an eye, _"That man was a government employee and his role, his purpose was to get shot, Superman._ _The paramedic units were included in this test and because of your disruptive habits, both the police department and the hospitals in Metropolis have been humiliated. You did not let them do their job as you do not even try to abide by the rules, alien."_

Bruce understood where Luthor's motivations stemmed from; an unexpected 'hostage situation' would accurately test a station's abilities. It was most ingenious and he felt envious that he had never even thought of something similar.

Superman clenched his fists and didn't seem to know how to respond, looking deprived of words.

Luthor smirked, eyes gleaming like rotten rubies. _"Now, release my men, Superman. If you continue to hold them against their will, I will have you arrested for treason."_

Bruce shook his head in admiration; Luthor was frighteningly smart _._ He might hate the man but he couldn't help but agree with some of his methods.

Diana placed a hand on Superman's arm and said something. Superman released the government agents and they all smirked up at him; Bruce almost expected those fiery energy beams to incinerate them as they had Metropolis' sky-scrapers, as they had his Wayne Enterprises buildings, as they had Jack.

Then, Superman and Wonder Woman disappeared in a blur.

" _In a shocking turn of events, Superman and Wonder Woman have directly interfered in government affairs. President Luthor! What do you have to say about Superman and Wonder Woman's involvement?"_

Lex Luthor smiled coyly at the camera, _"I am grateful for their contributions to making our world better; they have been instrumental in helping Earth journey towards the frontier of knowledge."_ Bruce watched as Luthor changed; his eyes sharpened and features pulled into concealed malignity. _"Despite their gestures of goodwill, the fact remains that Superman and Wonder Woman are blatantly impeding in crucial drills performed by the government on my orders. If they continue their insolence, they will have forced my hand; they will become wanted by the government for treason."_ Luthor handed the microphone back and swiftly turned around, leaving behind a stunned news anchor.

"He's good," Selina said, breath puffing against Bruce's cheek.

"That was impressive," he reluctantly nodded. "I may despise the man, but Luthor is a genius; there's no denying it."

He wondered if Luthor would hinder his plans; Superman was going to die, he didn't know it but Bruce had been planning how to kill him for the past couple of years. If Luthor did become a thorn in his side, then Bruce would be forced to kill him; it wouldn't haunt his conscious.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana glanced at Kal worriedly; he had been too quiet since the bank fiasco. She was dismayed over what the crowd of people had shouted because of Lex Luthor.

" _Get out of here, filth! You don't fucking belong here, fiend!"_

" _No aliens allowed! We don't need you!"_

" _Superman? More like, Superloser!"_

" _In case your ears are fucked, alien; get the fuck out of here!"_

" _You are a menace!"_

" _False god!"_

" _Luthor is our savior!"_

" _You destroyed our city!"_

" _This is our world! Not yours!"_

" _Earth belongs to humans!"_

" _Aliens are un-American!"_

" _You're the start of the apocalypse!"_

Humans could be so malicious; since Metropolis' destruction, since those many thousands had died in spite of the League's interference, a fraction of the world loathed Kal just as he had foretold to her.

There were those of humanity who embraced Superman openly and rejoiced over his selfless nature; they originated from parts of the middle class and all of the lower class. The upper class, however, was not welcoming. Rather, they mocked him; billionaires and those who actually controlled the countries of the world despised Kal and everything that he did. It didn't matter if a fire was extinguished or a child was saved from death; Kal was crucified, scorned with utter derision by those with true political power.

When browsing through channels on television, there were at least dozens of news outlets that covered only Superman; all of the coverage depicted, painted her Kal in a negative light, as a Satan incarnate, one who sought to exterminate the human race. Every day, people tune into those news outlets, aching to hear something, anything about Superman. They hear the opinions of those with power and eventually, they adopt those opinions as well because if you tell someone something enough times, they will eventually believe it.

The world was unwelcoming towards aliens. Diana still hadn't revealed that she herself was an alien; she was three-quarters Celestial and the other quarter was Amazonian, a race descended from a single Kryptonian.

Neither she nor Kal had shared that discovery with the Atlanteans. They had both agreed that it would only cause further conflict; the World Engine had destroyed much of the marine life that the Atlanteans cherished.

They demanded recompense and Kal had refused to use his technology to create new breeds of marine life; the species weren't extinct as Atlantis wanted him to believe. He had looked and only time could replenish the ranks of those subsequent species.

Needless to say, Arthur had not been friendly to Kal, and by extension, Diana since; they understood, though, because the King needed to put his people first.

Bruce had introduced Selina Kyle to the League several months after the Black Zero event; Diana was happy to see that Bruce had apparently found someone to love. Hopefully, it distracted him from attempts to hurt Kal. He couldn't look at Kal without frowning, body tensing painfully. None of the team truly knew what Kal had done to incense Bruce; most thought it was because Kal had powers and Bruce didn't. Diana knew better though, and so did Kal.

The destruction of Metropolis haunted Bruce day and night, the deaths of his workers and friend at the forefront. Kal had tried to apologize but Bruce had wanted nothing of it. They were both willing to give Bruce time to heal from the horrors of that day, but it had been two years and Bruce had shown no signs of change; rather, in her opinion, he had become more belligerent, hostile.

Diana was afraid the Batman was going to overwrite 'Bruce Wayne' and become the dominant personality; he needed help but would never listen to her.

Kal had eventually revealed to her that it was Bruce who had murdered Amanda Waller; she was in shock and had asked why he would do such a thing. After all, Bruce had worked for A.R.G.U.S; he had recruited the League, recruited her!

Apparently, none of it was of his free will; for a decade, Bruce was tortured into compliance through an agony matrix implanted in his spine. That discovery augmented her loathing for Waller and she wished she could use Waller's corpse for archery training.

"We're close," Kal said quietly, drawing her thoughts to a close.

She nodded and Diana and Kal passed through Smallville undetected, landing at the house. Silence reached her ears; the dog, Hank had died shortly after the Black Zero event. Apparently, Zod's rampage hadn't missed the dog. Her hatred for that man grew with each discovery that they had unfurled.

Kal wordlessly walked into the house and within a second, was wearing a plaid shirt and jeans. He was slouched on the couch, head in his hands. Diana quickly changed into her robe and sat down next to him; she didn't know what to say and she doubted that Kal wanted to listen. She brought his head into her lap and gently scraped her nails through his thick black hair. It was times like this that Diana was angry at J'onn for leaving. She understood his reasons but it didn't mean that she respected it; she was taught growing up to either confront a problem or completely ignore it, never run from it.

Although Kal had made conversation with his teammates on the League, the only one that truly talked to him was Wally. The rest were wary and it incensed Diana.

Kal was an incredible man, the greatest who she had ever encountered.

Wally couldn't help him though; he didn't understand. Diana was the only one who he allowed to see his suffering, only person who he allowed to comfort him. Without J'onn, Kal only had one person in the entire world who he fully trusted and with whom he felt a connection. It did relieve her that Kal and J'onn still kept in contact. Several months after J'onn left, Kal had tasked Kelex with creating a Phantom Drive device into his suit's belt. Several days later, Kal had suddenly appeared in front of her in a flash of blue sparks. After the shock passed, she was so happy because the light that blazed in his eyes showcased so much joy; he finally had a way to visit J'onn instantly whenever he pleased.

Kal disappeared for several days every couple of months and Diana had to make sure the League didn't become suspicious; the Kryptonian technology was still highly debated among her teammates.

It still wasn't the same.

J'onn was gone while Kal suffered from the hate the political world attacked him with.

"I'm so tired of all of it," he murmured, eyes shut as she massaged his scalp. "I'm beginning to, in spite of my best efforts, become angry at it all."

Diana hummed softly, "I am as well," she didn't know what else to say; everything was so convoluted. "It has angered me from the start." The world had made Superman their scapegoat and continuously tore down Kal's gestures of goodwill, fabricating stories into falsehoods. "Let's go to Themyscira," she whispered, knowing that it would relieve his dismal mood; he had once confessed to her that after an event like what had happened at the bank today, he listened to what everyone in the country said about him; he listened more to their jeers, scorn, and hatred than their admiration and thankfulness.

On Themyscira, he could hear nothing from the outside world.

Kal nodded against her legs, "Okay,"

"Kelex." She said and moments later, the two were inside the Scout Ship on Themyscira.

"Hello, sir," Kelex floated forward, "Mistress Diana."

"It's good to see you, Kelex." She smiled at the Android; after her initial wariness dispersed, Diana found that she really enjoyed the Android's presence.

"Anything to report?" Kal asked flatly.

"Nothing has raised my concern, sir."

"Good, I'll be outside." Kal floated out of the wall that had turned invisible; Diana followed closely behind.

Many changes had taken place on the island since Diana had finally returned to her home. With Kal and Kelex's help, the city had been restored and renovated to integrate Kryptonian architecture seamlessly into the Amazon's; the product was magnificent. Mountains had arisen from some of the grassy plains and towers protruded from the rock. Themyscira had more buildings and walls; none of the structures had any straight lines. Swirling towers swirled all around the city and even under the earth, creating something that most couldn't even imagine. Diana loved Kal and wanted his culture to live on; the Amazons originated from Krypton and it was seamless to amalgamate the two. Now, the Amazons and Kryptonians would never die, forever immortalized together.

The city wasn't the only thing to change; animals were generated and many Kryptonian species now thrived on Themyscira, bringing much pleasure to its inhabitants. Kal had also somehow, using his Kryptonian brain, created many of the creatures that Diana's mother had weaved together into enchanting stories when she was a child. Pegasi, Minotaurs, Chimeras, Centaurs, Three-Headed Hellhounds, Griffins, Pythons, and several Phoenixes were generated by using the genomes of current species on earth; he then tampered, evolved the genetics and Diana's childhood soon became reality.

Diana had been in absolute shock. Kal had grinned and had shown her how he did it; apparently, the Genesis Chamber could be used for animals as well. The tubes of what she had thought were animals that Kal had pulled out of the ship that brought he and J'onn to Earth were actually the genetic attributes for every Kryptonian species, even the extinct ones. Kelex had uploaded the information into where the Codex would go and she watched in awe as tiny animal babes were created out of seemingly nothing.

Needless to say, Kal had been rewarded exceedingly that night and for the following days.

"Have any of your siblings or father visited you?" Kal asked suddenly from his position of stroking a Rondor, Krypton's most feared and evolved species. "Any of them?"

Diana frowned, "No, why do you ask?" She had never spoken with any of her siblings and hadn't spoken with her father since the Black Zero event. After Kal had moved the ship to Themyscira, he had tasked Kelex with improving Themyscira's defenses and now, none of the Celestials could enter; the island was now impenetrable. Diana didn't want them there. Ares had slaughtered her family while the others stood by and watched; none of them deserved her loyalty.

"I've been wondering if they've manipulated the humans into their thoughts and actions about me; desecrate their enemy's name."

She had no idea whether that was true but could easily see that happening; the Celestials were very petty.

"It's possible but I believe Lex Luthor is the main opposition; he is the President and his opinion sways many." She still had trouble fathoming that Lex Luthor, J'onn, and Kal had all attended school together when they were all teenagers; they had been friends, best friends! They had even lived together at the Kent Farm; they were all inseparable and intelligent, challenging each other to become better. But Kal and J'onn had never shared the truth about who they were with Lex and when the future President of the United States had found out - he had, apparently, witnessed Kal using his heat vision to fix a doorknob he had broken at school - J'onn had erased the memory from Lex's mind. Lex had moved out because he had known that something was wrong and that it had been caused by Kal and J'onn; their once-strong friendship had quickly dissolved and become something dark.

"Maybe I can expose him at the Daily Planet; he has changed so much since I knew him." Kal sighed tiredly and she glimpsed the pain and regret on his face. "I don't even recognize him; he's so different, now. I know that there is still good in him but I don't think that I will ever be able to shine a light on it. I'll have to reveal his misdeeds; Pete would probably love to help."

Diana nodded. After the destruction of the IHOP in Smallville, something that she still felt guilty over, the town had decided not to construct a new one. Pete Ross had been out of a job and Kal had quickly made a name for himself at the Daily Planet. He had proposed to Perry White that his old friend, who was unemployed, would make an excellent addition to the staff; Pete soon became Kal's partner and the two had become the writing dynamic duo. Kal wrote stories concerning Wonder Woman and the Justice League while Pete covered Superman amongst other topics.

"How is he, by the way? I haven't spoken to him in several weeks."

"He's good; he loves the job and Perry loves him." Kal's words were soft, "Speaking of work, I need to get there."

Diana floated over and turned his head towards hers, fastening her lips to his. "I love you," she whispered.

Kal smiled and she was relieved to see that some of the sorrow had vanished from his beautiful, powerful eyes. "I love you too, always," he kissed her again quickly and blurred away.

Diana breathed in the fresh air and observed the creatures flying around; Griffins, several Kryptonian flying 4-winged animals, and a single Pegasus were blazing through the sky in what looked like a game of tag. It was sopeaceful and Diana felt only peace; gone was the sorrow from her people's slaughter. She still loathed Ares but that hatred no longer consumed her. Thanks to Kal, Diana had mostly healed from the deep scarring of the trauma that Ares had wrought; she just had to make sure he healed from the wounds people like Lex Luthor continuously inflicted on him.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Bruce Wayne stood in Gotham Harbor, form obscured as he hugged the shadows; many shied away from the dark but he embraced it, became one with it. It was a survival instinct that had saved his life countless times. After his parents were murdered, Bruce had trained vigorously, relentlessly for years until he had become the pinnacle of physical and mental perfection; he had reached his peak potential. At the tender age of 23, Bruce had undertaken the unthinkable: waging a one-man war against the scum of Gotham. His built-up hatred and his fear of other children suffering like he had culminated in the creation of "The Bat." For several years, the fruits of his labor were ripe and fulfilling.

At one point, he had found Jason trying to steal the tires off his Batmobile in an abandoned alley. The boy was only nine-years-old and Bruce had offered him a place to live. It had taken time, a long time but eventually, he earned the boy's trust and adopted him. He continued his life as Batman and arrived back at his house to a beaming child who called him, 'Dad'.

Then, he had miscalculated.

He had received an anonymous tip that several, traitorous government agents were selling military-grade weapons to the Mob Bosses.

Bruce could not let that deal ensue. When he had arrived at the scene it was only to find an ambush; A.R.G.U.S had caught their prey. Then for a decade, he was employed, further trained into a master of many combats, and pushed to the brink of his sanity, losing pieces of himself until he could no longer remember who he once was before his tenure at A.R.G.U.S. He had been Waller's whipping boy and he had killed countless people; he had no idea if they were innocent or rapists because if he didn't comply, Waller would press that fucking button.

Bruce scowled; just thinking about that woman made his blood boil. She was the reason why Jason, his son was dead.

He saw a figure approach and Bruce stepped out of the shadows, feet crunching trash.

"Do you have it?" He asked the King of Atlantis.

Arthur glanced around, ensuring they were alone and nodded slowly, "Yes, but it was not easy."

"It doesn't matter." Bruce frowned when he realized that Arthur carried nothing except the clothes on his back. "Where is it?"

"By the docks... Batman, are you certain that you want to do this?"

"Yes," he said softly. "It's all that I've thought about these past two years."

"Me too," the King of Atlantis sighed. "He desecrated Atlantis' prized possessions with that gravity weapon; we need our compensation. Come with me." The water was cloudy, murky, and Bruce couldn't see anything past a single foot. Their footsteps echoed on the damp wood and Arthur leaned over the side, hand entering the water. Arthur gripped something and lifted a large box out of the water; shining metal, Atlantean metal, reflected into Bruce's eyes and he shied away from its radiance. "That damn World Engine decimated the marine life in the Indian Ocean; it terraformed many parts of the submerged into the foundations of Krypton. Amongst it all, my scouts discovered several large nuggets of the substance; he delivered all of them to me for he had never seen anything like it. I ordered my best scientists to conduct every study that they could perform on the rock and... they didn't determine much."

"What did they discover?"

"They did find that the substance is incredibly durable, ever more than Atlantean flesh and weapons and armor." Arthur shook his head and wet his lips, "It took the combined might of my Trident and other tools to even break just a small piece off."

Bruce nodded at the words and stared at the box. "Show me, then. Let me see it." Once the lid was removed, he was transfixed by the glow of the large nugget that would be the key to his plan. "It's perfect," he breathed out; his plan could finally be commenced!

"None of us know if this will actually be able to harm him, Batman. I encourage you to be cautious in your confrontation. Kal-El is doubtful to listen to your attempts to show him the correct way if you are just going to try to kill him; he must also realize that he owes Atlantis a deep debt."

"I'll keep that in mind," he lied easily.

"How are you going to use it?"

"With skill and clarity..."

"Just be careful; he is powerful beyond anyone." Arthur brought a hand up to his mouth, wiping away the sudden moisture. "I fear that if he discovers that I aided you in your conquest, hewill destroy my people, my civilization."

"That's not going to happen," he assured. "I will make sure of it."

"Thank you, Batman, for undertaking this crusade." Arthur descended into the water, "I wish you prosperity in your quest." The King vanished beneath the murky depths and Bruce felt his frown finally vanish; his plans were all coming together, now.

XxXxXxXxXxX

J'onn stared at his surroundings; desolation, freezing cold, and death clouded the planet. Ice was shaded green as J'onn stared at his slain kin. He was on Ma'aleca'andra; the slaughter of Eradication was all that was left of his people, the Manhunters.

He was all alone, the Last Son of Ma'aleca'andra.

He shifted to his true form and his green fingers grazed the head of a small female, closing her petrified, clouded eyes. The intense cold kept the bodies from decaying but he had already opened his mind as far as he could; there was nobody to connect with. He was truly all alone because he was the only living creature on the planet.

Tears stained his cheeks as sorrow threatened to consume him. He knew that he was the last of his kind but seeing it, observing the mutilated bodies of the Manhunters was completely different. Everything changed now with this knowledge. How could J'onn talk to his brother when he now understood what Kal's people had to his own? How could he look in his brother in the eye and not feel the resentment for the Eradication of the Manhunters? Would he be able to forgive his brother for a crime that he had no knowledge of, for Kal wasn't even born yet?

J'onn had no idea; he was afraid that he would never know until he spoke to Kal again.

For two years he had scoured the cosmos for answers, yearning to discover a sense of belonging but found none. He had journeyed through countless star systems, met many beings of different cultures and races but they never spoke of anyone but themselves. Apparently, humans were similar to aliens in that regard.

He was wear, lost.

Earth had rejected him because of his detestable appearance and the only person who understood was Kal, but J'onn was irrationally angry at him; he couldn't speak with him right now.

"I hope that you have all found peace," he murmured to his fallen kinsman and turned around, solemnly walking back to his small ship.

" _Was the trip profitable, sir?"_

J'onn smiled sadly at the Android, "Yes, Kelor, I can finally move on." He sat down and pulled out the holographic map of the Sector, scanning the hologram before swiping it away angrily. "Choose a destination where nobody would look twice at a traveler, someplace where I could get drunk and mourn and grieve in peace."

" _Of course, sir. I believe that I know just the place."_

J'onn tiredly crossed the deck, placing his hand on the wall and stepped through the now revealed doorway. He slumped onto his bed and closed his eyes; thoughts of his brother slithered through his mind but those thoughts were now poisoned. It was completely irrational but J'onn couldn't change how he currently felt.

"Wake me when we arrive, Kelor," he muttered and allowed his mind to rest.

XxXxXxXxXxX

J'onn entered the establishment and he was relieved when nobody spared him a glance. He sat in a dimly lit corner and sighed heavily, hand scratching his head. He didn't even know what planet he was on; Kelor had awoken him and he had just exited the ship and walked to the nearest town, uncaring of the location.

"What can I get you?" A poorly-dressed male intoned; stains covered his garments, new and old, while his yellow eyes were unfocused, sunken in. He had very pale skin and dried sweat coated his face. "We have it all, or so they say."

"Whatever is most likely to get me plastered."

The male didn't even bat an eye and turned around slowly, stumbling past other tables, leaving J'onn alone once again; he observed the patrons.

This planet was clearly one of the small, back-water ones in the universe. Everyone in the room oozed danger and paranoia; he suspected that several Bounty Hunters were also in the tavern. J'onn watched as a large male being with purple skin and what looked like a third eyeball on his forehead entered the establishment and everyone stopped what they were doing. Even the bartender swallowed and backed away. The male observed the inhabitants and when his eyes met J'onn's, he smiled and raised an eyebrow.

The purple skinned-male sauntered over to J'onn's table, "Is the seat taken?" He asked but sat down anyway before J'onn could reply.

He frowned, "Yes, it was. I am not in the mood for pointless pleasantries." J'onn saw everyone in the tavern staring at him curiously with some suspicious glances being thrown his way.

The male laughed, "Blunt - I like it! The name's Hulgon. May I ask what your name is, my friend?"

"Joe," J'onn said calmly, eyes glowing slightly as he read the man's mind. Apparently, he was a Bounty Hunter on the run from another Bounty Hunter named Lobo. He was feared by many in this galaxy and had a reputation for showing no mercy on his prey.

"Well, Joe," Hulgon said charmingly. "I'm in need of a friend. You seem like a reasonable creature so let me give it to you straight: I need to get off this planet now _._ " The male smiled coldly and J'onn suddenly felt a blaster shoved into his stomach beneath the table. "And I mean right now."

"Why do you need to get off the planet, Hulgon?" J'onn asked calmly, unperturbed by the powerful weapon aimed for his stomach; he could easily become intangible. "You seem capable enough."

Hulgon looked impressed by his relaxed manner. "You've got balls, Joe. I'll give you that. Well... let's just say that I got into a bit of trouble and now I need to split." The blaster jabbed his stomach, "And I mean right now - don't make me say it again."

J'onn frowned and decided to lie. "I don't have a ship, not a working one. It needs repairs and I'm grounded for several days."

"Don't lie to me," Hulgon hissed and suddenly the doors blasted open. A large silhouette blocked out the sunlight and a wreath of smoke clouded the atmosphere. Hulgon suddenly kicked the table to the side and wrapped his arm around J'onn's throat, gun pressed to his head. J'onn sighed; that escalated quickly. He could easily escape but he wanted to keep a low profile. He would wait and see how this scenario played out. The large silhouette suddenly stepped into the tavern and J'onn saw the red glow of a cigar. A towering, grayish-white-skinned male with red eyes grinned at Hulgon; chains dangled from the being's arms and they clank together ominously.

"Hulgon! There you are!" The being stepped closer and J'onn felt Hulgon tense. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Lobo, we can work this out!" Hulgon shouted. "I promise!"

At the mention of the name, 'Lobo,' everyone in the tavern shrieked and hid beneath their table, eyes wide with fear.

Lobo stalked forward and Hulgon's arm tightened around J'onn's throat, "Nah! Someone has offered me a heap of cash for your _carcass_ and the Main Man always delivers!"

"I'll kill him!" Hulgon jammed the blaster into J'onn's skull, "I'll do it!"

Lobo blinked and swiftly pulled a gun out of seemingly nowhere. He then grabbed a terrified patron and mirrored Hulgon; an arm wrapped around the throat and a gun pressed to the head. "It looks like we've got ourselves an ole' Mexican Standoff," Lobo commented casually.

Hulgon loosened his grip slightly in his shock, "This isn't a Mexican Standoff! I don't care if you kill her! Go ahead, I don't care!"

"Well, I don't care if you kill that geek there either." Lobo said, gesturing to J'onn, "So, yeah. What are we going to do?" J'onn grit his jaw and suddenly became intangible, sliding behind Hulgon, through his body. He solidified and kicked him forward. Lobo then fired a single shot between Hulgon's eyes and his head exploded in a shower of green mist. Lobo looked around and his eyes landed on J'onn, "How'd ya do that?" He asked, gun twirling in his hand.

"Magic," he said dryly, picking up his table and placing it back to where it was supposed to be. He then sat down, hoping everything would calm down.

Lobo shrugged and tossed Hulgon's corpse over his shoulder, "Thanks for the assist, stranger." He said lively and sat down across from J'onn.

"What do you want?" J'onn asked irritably. Hulgon's body was smudged against the booth and blood drizzled into the material.

"Well, I figured since you helped me out, I can buy ya a drink." Lobo lit his cigar and smoke puffed out of his mouth.

J'onn sighed, "Very well," the waiter suddenly arrived and placed a drink in front of J'onn. Lobo tossed the being a few coins and he looked impressed at J'onn's order.

"An Almerac Ale?" He nodded approvingly, "Smart man. So, am I just going to call you 'stranger' or what?"

"My name is Joe." J'onn said and brought the drink to his lips. He cautiously sipped it and it burned down his throat. He coughed and Lobo laughed.

"Atta boy! If ya cough, that's when you know it's a good batch." The Bounty Hunter leaned forward, red eyes glimmering in the dim light, "All right, Joe. What has you in this corner of the galaxy?"

J'onn took another sip and the taste of the brew almost overwhelmed him; it was incredible! "I'm traveling, just trying to find my place in the universe." He answered honestly.

Lobo nodded, "I used to have that problem a while back but then, I discovered my true calling. Since then, the Main Man has always known his place at the top of the food chain." A smile threatened to split the Bounty Hunter's face.

"Who wanted Hulgon dead?" J'onn asked curiously. The alcohol was beginning to tamper with his mind.

"Ironically, it was the Queen of that Ale you have there, Maxima." Lobo whistled and sighed dreamily, "Boy, what a babe! I've tried several times to tap that but she has turned me down each time; something about my bad breath. Can you believe that? I'm the Main Man! The ladies never turn me down yet this Queen does exactly that, not once, but many times!"

J'onn downed the rest of his ale, "Let's go!" He shouted and stood up. "Come on!"

"What?" Lobo asked incredulously, "Go where?"

"To Almerac!" J'onn was completely drunk for the first time in his life, "To go see this 'babe,' Maxima! Maybe, I can tap that or help you tap that; we could be each other's wingman!"

Lobo laughed boisterously, "Awesome! Let's go, Joe. I'm feeling generous; we can ride my bike."

"It's J'onn," he corrected and waved his hand. "And we can take my ship; it will get us there instantly." He had enough awareness left in his mind to know that when he awakened from his drunken stupor, he would regret his actions but right now, he didn't care; he needed the grief to be silent.

Little did he know that because of his drunken decision, his life would change forever.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal entered the Daily Planet, keeping his head down and posture slouched; he was, now, country-buffoon, Clark Kent. He 'nervously' pushed his glasses further up his nose and stumbled into his boss, Perry White's, office. The man raised an eyebrow at him and gestured for him to close the door.

He tapped the door shut with his foot and fell into the chair before Perry. "Good morning - sorry, I mean afternoon, Mr. White." He stuttered, eyes refusing to meet his boss'.

"Kent, how can you be so damned late to work when your writing showcases great intellect and punctuality?" Perry demanded, hunched forward, elbows plastered onto his desk, eyes gazing at Kal with intensity. "It's already past noon!"

"Well, traffic and my alarm clock failed to wake me, sir." He used the same excuse as always.

"You're lucky that you're a good reporter, Kent, the best that I've currently got. And for the last time,you need to buy a new alarm clock; you're never to work on time because of the damned thing."

"I'll get right on that, sir." Kal nodded hesitantly, eyes darting towards his shoes.

"Now that you're here, you can finally hear the big news." Perry smiled, full cheeks stretched across his face, eyes gleaming in the glow of the sun.

"What's the big news, sir? Shouldn't Pete be here to hear it as well?" He glanced over his shoulder, scanning everyone in the building; no Pete. "Actually, where is he? I haven't seen him yet."

"It concerns Ross, Kent. Because of the great work you two have been putting in, people have noticed and because of this, Ross was given the story of a lifetime! He and Olsen, the new photographer, were given permission to interview African General - warlord, in my opinion - Amajagh. They left early this morning; around 4:30 I think. They'll be gone for a couple of weeks. When I last spoke with him, Ross said something about 'touring' Africa and finding good stories to share with the public."

Kal blinked, "That's great news, sir. I'm happy for Pete; he deserves it." He truly meant it; despite the childhood bullying, Kal and Pete had become friends. Pete had turned into a good man and Kal trusted him to keep his secret.

"You're damn right he does, Kent. You know, if you tell anyone I said this I'll skin you alive, Kent, but you made an excellent call in recommending your farm-boy friend; I was dubious at best and you surprised me, Ross surprised me." Perry sighed heavily and wearily rubbed his jaw, "Since Lane - may she hopefully rest in peace - died in the destruction of Metropolis, you've been a great reporter, Kent, one of the best I've seen; you're like a bloodhound, smelling a good story miles away even if it reeks of shit. The Bat vigilante articles that you've been producing have been sensational; it's almost like you've met the nut case face-to-face."

"Thank you, Mr. White. I'm thankful that you have given me the opportunity to work at the Daily Planet; I believe I have found a great career and I can't wait to work on more stories."

Perry waved his hand flippantly, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now go use that bloodhound sniffer of yours and discovery another good story, a gold mine if you will."

"Absolutely, sir. Thank you for sharing the news about Pete with me."

"That's enough. Get out of my office, Kent." Perry sat up and turned towards his computer. "I have work to do, believe it or not."

"Of course, Mr. White." Kal 'dropped' his pen and picked it up, quickly scurrying out of Perry's office.

He sat down at his desk and closed his eyes, focusing his hearing; Pete would be taking a flight over the Atlantic Ocean. Kal's mind was flooded with the sounds of everything as he searched for Pete's distinct heartbeat. _There!_ Pete was obviously sleeping as his heart rate was dropped. He would need to keep his ears open in case something happened; Africa was a dangerous country and Amajagh might be even more dangerous of a man.

XxXxXxXxXxX

It was early in the evening; the sun had just set and the red afterglow was enchanting to view upon. Times like these were rare. An intense wind roared down the balcony, sweeping away what was old and bringing in the new. Just like he would!

He was going to save the world!

He gazed at the skyline; soon, it would be his _._ All of it would belong to him. The world would revolve around him. It would be saved! Before the alien had arrived, he had meticulously created plans that would place him in charge of the entire planet, able to finally save humanity. He had already succeeded in winning the White House which was the first crucial step. He had then gained favor with Amanda Waller and A.R.G.U.S. was soon on his payroll, ready to do his bidding no matter how immoral the task was; they were so very useful.

He had the Justice League in his back pocket even though none of the members knew it; he owned them. The only reason none of them were locked up and experimented on to understand and possibly replicate their abilities for other uses was that of him, yet they had the audacity to drift away from the government and become their own entity. Preposterous!

Fools.

They were just like all the rest who had failed to see his vision. Soon, they would be dead like all those who had uselessly challenged him, had failed to see how his plans would save Earth. The manifestation of his darkest and deepest desires would soon become a reality, changing the world forever because he dared to go beyond the norm. No more separate countries. No more political controversy. No more different languages. No more rebellion. No more pointless government chivalries. No more abuses of power. No more false gods. No more pointless conflicts. No more death. Soon, Earth would be united under one nation, his nation. Everything had lined up beautifully; fate was on his side and nothing could stop it. He would have saved the world! Then, Superman had arrived.

Clark's reveal had changed everything.

When Metropolis was destroyed, he had seen opportunities ripe for the taking. All of that alien technology would help him implement his plan that much faster. He could figure out how everything worked; discover the keys to immortality!

Then all of it was gone!

The ship that had destroyed dozens of skyscrapers like they were made of paper - gone! The weapon that changed the gravity in the Indian Ocean - gone! The one in Metropolis - gone, sucked into a black hole!

Superman had presented many challenges that brought endless frustration upon him; these frustrations had motivated him that much more and now, thanks to Clark, he had a plan that was absolutely infallible. But he couldn't do it alone; he needed a partner and eventually, he found one.

When he had discovered the alien DNA that floated through his blood, he was incensed; he was so distraught he pondered suicide many a time. He even put a gun in his mouth but he couldn't pull the damned trigger; the will to live was strong, the will to rule was strong. The will to be a savior was strong, the will to be praised as a savior was strong. He had researched strenuously through human history, hoping to find that small _,_ single thread that led to the beautiful woven tapestry of answers, of truth. He had discovered various eyebrow-raising facts but none of them had provided him with what he sought!

Then his accomplice had appeared, revealing much to him, such as the wiped-away memories that J'onn and Clark had taken from him. They became allies and much had been accomplished because of their concordance.

"Are your men in position?" A deep voice asked from behind him.

Lex Luthor smirked and turned around, facing his intruder; the man wore a dark cloak but the thick beard that fell off his face was very noticeable. Combat boots covered his feet and dark eyes stared at him beneath the hood of the cloak. Bronze skin was barely visible beneath his eyes and muscles rippled underneath the cloak, showcasing great strength.

The two reporters of the Daily Planet, Clark Kent - his old friend who would now face the consequences for his redundant existence - and Pete Ross, had often said he would make a deal with the devil if ever given the opportunity. Ironically, if they knew who he had allied with, many would believe the two journalists were correct.

"Hello, Ares," he said smugly, delighting in the fact that nobody could decipher how complicated his machinations were. He was a genius! A genius above any other; beyond Einstein and Newton! He was going to save the world!

"I asked you a question." The god of war growled out, eyes glaring at the President of the United States.

"Relax," Lex held his arms out invitingly, "When was the last time when you enjoyed something?"

"World War II," Ares snarled, "That was truly a time for merriment; those are some of my fondest memories. Now, answer the question!" He stepped closer, trying to intimidate the President; he was not successful. Lex Luthor was not easily frightened; he was no mere man.

"Yes, my men are in position; General Lane is awaiting my command. He is most eager in our crusade, impatient you could say. Our agent in Atlantis, Orm has notified me that his brother delivered the Kryptonian rock to Bruce Wayne; his spies were very useful in gathering all the remnants from the World-Engine-desecrated-areas." Lex stalked towards Ares, completely confident, "Remember that neither of us can succeed in our goals without each other; I go down, you're going down with me and vice versa. Capiche?" He stared into the eyes of the being out of mythology unabashed, arrogance oozing from his stare. He refused to be anything less than the one in charge. He was a genius; he will save the world! Nobody was his superior!

Ares chuckled darkly, "You truly are my sister's son, the lone experiment that didn't fail; Athena has always been such a mewling quim, bitching to our father incessantly. Unfortunately, you seem to have inherited that through her experiment."

"It's a quantified form of our intellect, our ability to evolve and solve unsolvable problems. Something which you will be thankful for once we bear the fruits of our labor; they will be ripe and delicious, like the golden apples of immortality!"

Ares hummed beneath his cloak, sounding like the engine of a car; the air trembled, smelling of war. "Yes, just make sure not to partake in the fruit without me."

Lex grinned, "Of course. What else is family for? Certainly, not to visit during the holidays - preposterous! No. My father taught me well; this... us... is what family is for - gaining more power. Because of our fortuitous union, the reckoning for everyone who has forsaken us is coming and nobody, not even Superman or Zeus, can stop it; it will be glorious!"

Ares loomed over him, oppressive air bearing down on Lex; a feeling that every fighter, no matter the era, would recognize as raw, unrefined _war._ It was blood and dust and ashes. Grotesque, rotting, injuries and poisonous smoke and gunpowder. It saturated the balcony, soaking the air like a noxious cloud. The soul of a warrior was unleashed in all of its glory; savage and brimming with bloodlust.

Lex only raised an eyebrow in response, unimpressed.

"Just remember that it was I who gave you the answers you so desperately sought; I revealed truths that were buried so deep that you would have never even hoped to discover them. Because of me, you know of your true capabilities. Because of me, you will be able to save the world."

"You're right," Lex nodded, sharp eyes gleaming in the afterglow of the sunken sun. "You did help me and I am grateful. Without you, I might never have the chance that I do now." He stepped closer to Ares until they were inches apart, "But I do _not_ appreciate you threatening me; you showed me my power, the power that will save the world, and because of that, I am not a force to be trifled with; my intellect is beyond yours."

Ares dark eyes flashed murderously. A hand suddenly wrapped around Lex's neck and hoisted him in the air, squeezing tightly, "Just because you are my sister's bastard experiment, doesn't mean that I couldn't snap you like a twig." The god of war hissed, pulling his face closer; they were eye-to-eye, "Your mind might be magnificent, one of the greatest in all of creation, but your body is still human! You possess a strong mind but a weak body; remember that, nephew _._ " Ares snarled and dropped Lex unceremoniously.

The President easily landed on his feet and rubbed his throat, "If we continue like this, neither of us will eat that delicious fruit; there will be no immortality! There will be no saving the world!" He frowned harshly, "We must put aside our differences if we seek to have our dreams a reality!"

"Just make sure your men follow the plan. You know the stakes; our entire future hinges on the plan!"

"I will make them follow the plan. They won't want to contravene; it would be most unfortunate for their loved ones if they did."

Ares laughed darkly, "Good. Right now, for both your sake and mine, we understand that there is a window in which to operate; we must use it. I trust that the weapons that you designed will work for myself, my siblings, and my cousins?"

"Yes, they will work. Hephaestus' designs were brilliant, to say the least, but I made some modifications of my own to their designs; they will aid you all flawlessly in your conquest." Lex waved his hand flippantly, "Now, I think that we're done here. If you'll excuse me, I have a meeting to attend to; after all, I am the President of the United States."

XxXxXxXxXxX

Pete Ross stared into the face of the African General, Amajagh calmly, subduing his fear of the potential situations that could arise should he say something wrong. Dozens of men with high-powered, military-grade, weapons surrounded he and Olsen like an escort; an escort of death. Sand whipped around his face and he had to yell to be heard. "Are you a terrorist, General?" He asked, small notebook open as he prepared to write the general's answer.

Amajagh leaned forward, head tilted to the side and pushed his sunglasses down his nose with a finger. "They did not tell me that interview was with- how do you Americans say? Oh, yes... fool."

Unease curled in Pete's stomach as foreboding whispered in his ear. Nonetheless, he ignored the general's appraisal of him and continued, "I'm not a fool, General. I am a journalist-"

The general interrupted him, "What I am, is a man with nothing except a powerful love for his people." The general smiled darkly, rotten teeth gleaming in the desert sun.

Pete felt, more than saw, Olsen shift and slowly stand up. The hairs on the back of Pete's neck rose erect; the foreboding whispers turned into screams that echoed in his mind. He dimly noticed Olsen trying to adjust his camera but Pete ignored him, hoping this entire trip wasn't about to be shot to hell.

"Who is paying for all of these security contractors, General?" Pete motioned with his eyes to the escort of death that surrounded he and Olsen. "How do you finance them?"

Amajagh eyes ignited with fierce contempt, "Who pays for the drones that pass over our heads at night?" He paused and scowled, "One question begs another, fool."

Pete noticed one of the goons step closer to Olsen, hand over the lens of his camera. "Um… don't open - you just exposed…" he ignored the happenings and focused his attention on Amajagh.

"I see your point, General." Pete conceded, "The United States has prepared to offer a policy that-"

The General sneered, "Men with power obey neither policy nor principal, fool." Pete saw a flash as a foot slammed into the ground; he heard a sickening crunch beside him. The General continued, "No one is different." He leaned forward, face pinched in anger, "No one is neutral."

"CIA!" Pete heard one of the goons snarl and the General's head snapped to the escort of death.

"They're tracking us!" Another of the men shouted and Pete looked over at Olsen.

"YOU!" The General roared and Pete stood up quickly. Men cocked their rifles and forced Olsen to kneel before Amajagh and Pete. The General pulled out a pistol and pointed it at Pete accusingly, "You're CIA?"

"What?" Pete shook his head rapidly, "No. No! We're not- what?"

"You brought _him_ here!" Amajagh growled, gun pointed at Olsen.

"No! He's a photographer! He's the new guy! He started- " the horrible truth dawned on him; it seeped into his mind as he realized what had happened.

The General sneered at him and advanced on Olsen's kneeled form like a predator, gun wavering with tense motions. Pete felt arms pull him back and lock his arms behind his back.

Olsen suddenly spoke in a language that Pete recognized as the same one the men had spoken in earlier in the vehicle; he swallowed as the truth stared at him. Olsen glanced up at his horror-stricken form. He nodded reassuringly, "It's okay, Pete." He switched back to the General and said several more words. Pete watched as Amajagh shook with rage. He raised his arm and the pistol stared at Olsen ominously.

Olsen just stared back at the general warily. For several seconds, faux photographer and African General glared at each other.

The sound of an explosion.

Pete gasped, hearing the gunshot and saw Olsen's body lurch backward, head exploding in a mist of red. Splinters of bone fragments and grey tissue - brain tissue - littered the sand as it was painted crimson.

The General turned around and gripped Pete's arm harshly, fingers digging in with such force, he thought his arm would be torn off. Amajagh screamed something in his native tongue and shoved Pete into an abandoned building. He kicked open a door and threw Pete roughly to the floor. "Get in the chair!" He snarled, gun aimed at Pete.

Pete swallowed and complied, I… I didn't know." He breathed out, scarcely dwelling on the betrayal he felt, the image of a dead man.

Amajagh stalked closer, "Ignorance is not the same as innocence, fool." Before anything else was said, a barrage of gunshots echoed outside and the General pointed harshly at one of the goons, yelling something in his native tongue. Pete closed his eyes and hoped that if he did die, that it would be quick. "Get up! Stand up!" Amajagh screamed and roughly pulled him out of the chair, gun pressed brutally into Pete's hair.

Screams of agony were heard and Pete fought to escape the General's hold. A swift smack of the gun into his neck prevented him; he knew Amajagh would kill him if he tried again. The roar of what sounded like motorcycles disrupted the peaceful silence that had fallen; Pete realized people were escaping. The engines faded and utter silence bore down on the reporter and General.

Then Pete winced as the roof caved in abruptly; he coughed and saw Clark rise like a deity. He had seen the suit up close before but had never realized how much hope swelled in his breast at the sight of the 'S' until now; that must be what everybody felt when rescued by Superman.

Amajagh tensed and jammed the gun roughly into Pete's skull; the skin broke and Pete winced as blood streamed down the side of his head, staining his ear, "Take one step, you will see inside of his head!"

Clark tilted his head slightly and his blue eyes brightened; it was like looking at stars themselves and Pete knew that he would be all right.

He nodded inconspicuously and slowly removed his hands from the general's arm.

Clark's lips twitched and Pete blinked. He felt a blurred rush pass him and he heard the unmistakable sound of walls crumbling. Pete turned around and saw Clark, seven walls away, standing over the broken body of Amajagh.

"Thanks, Clark." He rasped, mind reeling from everything that had happened in the past hour.

Clark turned around and Pete was struck by how divine his friend looked; the epitome of power stared back at Pete. "You're welcome. I'm just relieved that I got here in time."

Pete was too. He suddenly remembered! "Olsen was-"

"CIA? I know, I heard what happened." Clark said vaguely and Pete nodded, feeling embarrassed for some reason.

He wondered why the CIA would choose now to mount an operation against Amajagh; for over a year now, the warlord had been a threat. Every answer left Pete feeling scared.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Sunlight awakened J'onn from his slumber; he blearily opened his eyes and stared at the symbols carved into the wall. He felt exhausted and had a terrible headache. He tried to think of the reason for his physical state, but couldn't. What was the last thing he remembered?

Lobo.

Flashes of the previous day assaulted his mind J'onn flinched; he was lucky to be alive!

"It's 'bout time," Lobo's voice reached him. "I was just beginning to think you had kicked the bucket."

J'onn groaned, sitting up slowly and stared at the Bounty Hunter, "Please, tell me that-"

"That you didn't do all that stuff?" Lobo finished, chuckling wildly, "Sorry, but ya did and let me be the first to say, you are hilarious, my friend."

"I'm glad you think that, Lobo." A voice sounded and J'onn saw the most beautiful woman in his life.

Dressed in a green and blue dress that clung to luscious curves, J'onn dimly realized this was Maxima, the Queen of Almerac; the woman who he had approached last night utterly plastered. Yellowish, orange skin was presented; bright, long, red hair cascaded down her back and she stared at him scornfully.

J'onn swallowed, "Queen Maxima," he began. "I'm so sorry- _"_

"That you entered a Royal Gathering uninvited and ruined the event?" Maxima smiled coldly, "How about when you attempted to 'give me an heir,' I believe your words were? How about when after I denied your amorous advances, you passed out on me, causing me to fall into a table and ruin my favorite gown?"

"I've never seen anything like it!" Lobo laughed, "That was hilarious!"

Maxima glared at the Bounty Hunter, "How about when you, Lobo dropped the body of that disgusting, traitorous, egotistical Hulgon onto a table, ruining countless meals and my guests' innocence?"

"Hey! I did what you asked, so pay me!"

"You will receive half of the agreed compensation and I won't have you executed. If not, I will have no qualms with ordering your death. In fact, I would be most pleased to do so."

Lobo's eyes grew large with anger, "Bitch! There is no way-"

"I am sorry for trying to sleep with you, Queen Maxima." J'onn interrupted, "I was wholly intoxicated for the first time in my life and I know that doesn't excuse my horrid behavior but I truly hope that I will be able to make amends. I am also sorry that Lobo and I ruined your Royal Gathering."

The Queen looked surprised but quickly recovered, "Thank you."

"Let us outta here!" Lobo roared, face pinched in rage.

"Your actions embarrassed Almerac and that is not tolerated. I will offer you a deal; I will release you both if Lobo leaves immediately with only a quarter of the agreed compensation and the other stays here as a form of recompense."

J'onn opened his mouth but Lobo beat him to it. "Deal!" The Bounty Hunter shouted and stood up, staring at the gaping J'onn. "Sorry, dude, but the Main Man needs outta this shit show."

Maxima smirked, "Excellent," she motioned with a wave of her hand and the barrier dispersed, guards flooding into the cage.

J'onn closed his eyes in defeat. There was nothing he could do; he had messed up greatly. Because of his negligence, he had a feeling that everything was about to change.

He had no one to blame but himself.

XxXxXxXxXxX

It was midday and a blanket of misery was suffocating to all who unfortunately found themselves smothered by emotion. There would be no peace as the cruelty of life had stolen their peace. Figures were muted with the ground and nods of silent understanding reached all those who found themselves at the monument.

A man in a wheelchair with a beautiful bouquet of flowers - his wife's favorites - gently placed them on the ground, muttering numerous prayers. He stared at the thousands of names that beautifully decorated the marble and felt absolute hatred poison his heart.

Superman did this.

He was the reason why Wallace had no legs, the reason he cannot even piss. He was the reason why he could no longer work. He was the why reason Mr. Wayne had to send him a monthly check while Wallace only watched television all day. Superman took his legs, his life, and his family. He took people from everyone and was hailed as a hero, as a god _._

Wallace Keefe was going to rectify that.

He shivered as a gust of wind slammed into his face and he knew this was the opportunity for him to show the world the truth about that fiend! He stared at all the other visitors, grieving, and that further augmented his decision. Wallace gripped his wheelchair and slid his numb fingers between the small slots in the wheels. He struggled against the wind but ultimately prevailed. He looked up at the enormous statue of the fiend _._ It was magnificent in structure and bearing; it was everything Wallace wasn't because of the fiend. He was broken while Superman was perfect, divine.

No more would those lies poison the minds of the world; no more would Superman be hailed as a hero.

He breathed deeply and saw the spray-paint cans strapped to his chest puff out; Wallace was ready. He turned his wheelchair towards the enormous hand that was only several feet off the ground. Wallace pulled himself up with great effort and ignored the ignorant police officers as they demanded he stop; he would show them the truth! Using all his physical strength - which wasn't much - he climbed up the enormous arm until he sat in the crook of the bent elbow. He then maneuvered himself across to the massive bent knee.

It was a perfect perch.

The magnificent, alien 'S' gleamed at him and Wallace growled; he swiftly placed his hand, gripping it against the marble, and braced himself.

He was over 15 feet in the air; if he fell, he would die.

It would be worth it to show the world the truth!

Wallace plucked the red spray-paint can from his vest, snapping it against the harsh fabric. The can shook mightily as hatred flooded Wallace's body with strength and resolve. He licked his lips and leaned forward, ignoring the strain on his arm. He pressed the button and smiled darkly as red sprayed over Superman. Wallace felt a sneer form on his lips as he continued; it soon transformed into a maniacal smile as he finally showed the world the truth.

The police officers were yelling at him but Wallace kept his focus on his task. He dimly noticed that a large crowd had surrounded the statue and elation spread through his body.

They would see the truth!

The red flash suddenly stopped and Wallace shook the can again urgently; it was empty. He dropped the can carelessly and heard someone yell profanities at him but he didn't care.

They would soon understand.

Wallace yanked the other can out of its holster and continued his task, absolute clarity shining in his eyes; he knew the truth! For several minutes, Wallace felt absolute peace as he stared proudly at his work. The once magnificent statue was now desecrated red; just like Superman was desecrated with the blood of the innocents. The famous 'S' symbol was no longer visible as it was hidden behind the truth. _'False god'_ was stained onto the marble in large, legible, letters as the whole world would finally understand.

The false god's reckoning was coming and there was nothing that Superman could do to prevent it.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Bruce Wayne stared at the news report, eyes blazing as his worst fears were becoming reality.

Pete Ross, who he knew was Clark Kent's partner at the Daily Planet, had been held hostage and Superman had incinerated the entire African village in anger.

" _I heard noise, like sky crack open."_ An African woman said hysterically in broken English on the television. _"He came down - so many dead. Worse happens after. The government attacked. No mercy in the village. My parents try run…"_ the woman sobbed and the anchor pulled the woman into a hug, trying to comfort her.

" _The world has been so caught up with what the Justice League and more specifically Superman can do that no one has asked what he, what they, should do. I hold Superman responsible and believe those in Congress do as well."_ The anchor said, staring into the camera, into Bruce's eyes. _"These powered individuals must be held accountable for their actions. Superman will answer for this."_

The African woman sobbed harder and her words were somehow understandable, _"He'll never answer to anyone; he is a vengeful god and none can stop him."_

Bruce punched the screen, ignoring the shockwaves of pain that richoted up his arm; the Bat would stop Superman.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana stood outside, the chilled night breeze having no effect on her, and waited for Kal. She was nervous; Wally had alerted her that the government and the public were outraged. She had no idea what had happened but soon found out when Wally had told her to turn on the television.

' _Superman Murders Innocents_!' Was the headline as every channel reported the catastrophe in Africa. Everybody blamed Kal; many who used to support him now demanded his capture. Diana didn't understand how these people could exhibit such a lack of loyalty. It was obvious that Kal did nothing of what people were claiming; the village wasn't even fully incinerated. It was only the bodies of skeletons that had bullet holes! Superman would never need to use bullets! Yet, everyone believed the story; the public were so ignorant that they echoed all of the false information that they heard

She heard Kal land outside and rushed to meet him, "What happened? Everyone says that Superman decimated a village!" She saw the look on his face and knew whatever happened wasn't good.

"Pete was assigned an interview to an African warlord; he journeyed to the village with Olsen." Diana nodded; she had met Jimmy once and he seemed like a good man, "Apparently, Olsen was an undercover CIA covert operative agent. His cover was blown and everyone turned on Pete. When I arrived, the village was already slaughtered off and bodies were burned into charred bones with what I suspect was a flamethrower."

"Is Pete all right?"

"Yes, I saved him. I also destroyed a missile that was headed to the village. Apparently, the CIA really wanted the warlord dead." Kal said without any amusement.

Diana gripped his hand and pulled him inside. "We need to do something about this! People are calling for your capture!" She pointed at the television, "Everybody is turning against you! I don't know how! You are the greatest man I've ever met!"

"But I'm not a man am I, Diana?" Kal said sadly, eyes full of sorrow and resignation.

"That's not..." she found that no other words could pass her lips; she was too shocked.

Kal brought her hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly. "I'm not a man... I'm an alien."

"That doesn't matter!"

"We both know that it does." He said patiently, "I'm an alien who many see as a god. We both know I'm not a god but to them, I am - just as the Celestials were hailed as deities... I hear their fears. I've always known, when I revealed myself, they would fear me. I'm different; the Justice League, as far as the public and government are concerned, are all humans. I'm an alien _…"_ Kal trailed off and Diana kissed him.

"That shouldn't matter. In time, they will accept you and see you as the great man you are."

Kal smiled, "You know, if it wasn't for you, I think that I would have probably left with J'onn. I love Earth but Earth doesn't love me. You do though; you're my world."

Diana kissed him again, bringing peace and love to both, "You're my world too, Kal." She said, truth shining in her eyes, "I will always stand by your side."

"I love you." Kal smashed his lips onto her own and sucked on her lower lip, nipping at it gently. Diana moaned and wound her hands around his back, trailing her nails across his shirt, dimly noticing she ripped it.

"Bedroom," she panted and instantly fell onto their bed. Kal loomed over her and pulled her clothes off, instantly attaching his lips to the freed skin.

His hands wandered to her waist and up to her breasts, cupping them firmly. She gasped when he expertly rolled her hardened nipples between his fingers.

She had grown hot under him, arching her body into his. Kal brought his mouth to her neck and sucked tenderly. He leaned up and his mouth hovered over her own. Diana gasped with her lips hanging open.

His tongue was in her mouth, hot and heavy, and she was overwhelmed by him. He suddenly pulled back and Diana whimpered. She flung her arms around his shirt and ripped it off, pulling him closer. His hard muscles pressed into her body and she moaned as Kal kissed his way down her body.

Diana gripped his head and pulled his lips to her own. "Please," she whispered and Kal positioned himself between her legs. He laid his hand on her exposed folds, sending sparks of pleasure throughout her body. His fingers found the spot and rubbed it vigorously, wetting her.

Bending down, he latched his mouth onto her breast, rolling his tongue over Diana's erect nipple until Diana moaned loudly, desperately. His chest pleasantly scratched her body as he traced his tongue to her other breast, leaving a pleasurable trail.

Kal looked up as his mouth closed around her soft mound, teeth grazing her sensitive skin. His eyes were glowing blood red, black veins popping out of the skin.

Diana moaned greatly and her breaths were frantic as his muscular thighs pushed her own further apart, exposing her, erection pressing hard against her. She stared up at Kal as he entered her little by little, filling her, completing her. Diana threw her head back and arched her body, letting loose a loud moan. Her hands ran up both his arms, holding onto them, leaving marks. She rocked her hips against his, going in a steady rhythm that she had chosen. He responded and every thrust made her gasp, bodies rocking into each other at a quick pace.

She saw his blood red eyes focused on her plump mouth; her lips were parted in small, quick breaths. She saw pure love, hunger, and desire for her.

She bit her lower lip when she moved a hand down and squeezed her nub. As she approached her climax, Kal groaned deeply and she felt it rumble through her body. Her body spasmed as waves of absolute pleasure flooded through her. Kal took her faster and followed her into oblivion with a mighty groan. He collapsed on top of her, breathing hard into her drenched, wet hair.

Diana reached up and ran her fingers through his thick hair, closing her eyes. She felt kisses pepper against her neck. Thoughts of her sisters and mother didn't plague her thoughts as only Kal encompassed her mind. Without him, she would be lost.

He was her world.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal watched Diana as she slept. She was beautiful; she was a goddess and she loved him, accepted him. He knew without her, he was lost. She was the only one who had continuously stood by his side.

J'onn had left.

He understood his brother's decision but for the past several months, resentment had begun to fester in Kal's heart.

He eased out of bed and slipped on a pair of shorts, floating into the living room. He grabbed a beer and sat on the couch; he plucked the remote off the small table, turning the television on and saw the headline, ' _The Superman Question._ '

Kal sighed and knew he was a glutton for punishment when he decided to watch what was being said about him.

" _We, as a population on this planet, have been looking for a savior. 90% of people believe in a higher power, and every religion believes in some sort of messianic figure. And when this savior character actually comes to Earth, we expect him to abide by our rules? We have to understand that this is a paradigm shift. We have to start thinking beyond politics."_

Click.

" _Are there any moral constraints on this person? We have international law. On this Earth, every act is a political act."_

Click.

" _This is an individual who has powers beyond imagination, a god in the flesh. We don't know who this, 'Kal-El' is and what he truly wants. Does he want to spread his alien seed across Earth and beget hybrids designed to conquer humanity? Does he seek ultimate power? Does he want neither of those things? What about the similarities between him and Wonder Woman? Is she an alien? Are they kin to one another? Is she his wife? Do they seek to build an army through potential future alien spawns? Can we trust these individuals with powers? What about the rest of the Justice League? What about the green-skinned fiend? Nobody has seen him since the rebuilding of Metropolis. Is he gone? Dead? Trust goes both ways, yet they will not share any information with anyone. These are all questions that need to be answered with the utmost urgency."_

Click.

" _Is it really surprising that the most powerful man in the world should be a figure of controversy?"_

" _To have an individual engaging in all of these state-level interventions designed by our beloved President Luthor should give us all cause to pause."_

Click.

" _Human beings have a horrible track record of following people with great power down paths that led to huge human atrocities."_

Click.

" _We have always created icons in our own image. What we've done is we project ourselves onto him. The fact is, maybe he's not some sort of devil or Jesus character. Maybe he's just a guy who is trying to do the right thing."_

Click.

" _We're talking about a being whose very existence challenges our own sense of priority in the universe. And you go back to Copernicus, where he restored the sun in the center of the known universe, displacing Earth. And you get to Darwinian evolution, and you find out we're not special on this Earth, we're just one among other lifeforms. We have seen the emergence of a new race of Homo Sapiens, ones with incredible powers but they are still kin to us; they are part of the human race because we all share common ancestors. But now, we learn that we're not even special in the entire universe because there is Superman. There he is, an alien among us. We're not alone; there is life beyond."_

Click.

" _Are you, as a United States congresswoman, personally comfortable saying to a grieving parent: 'Superman could have saved your child, but on principle, we did not want him to act?'"_

" _I'm not saying that he shouldn't act. I'm saying that he shouldn't act unilaterally."_

" _What are we talking about here, then? Must there be a Superman?"_

"... _There is."_

Click.

 _"In an all-exclusive interview with President Luthor, often declared one of the greatest thinkers of our time, our own David Knowles caught up with him to discern his true thoughts about Superman."_

 _"Mr. President, what is your response to Superman's existence? We have heard everyone else's except yours."_

 _"I am dreadfully concerned, David, I cannot lie. His entire existence and presence on Earth cannot be overstated; it is a problem, a major one."_

 _"Will you clarify, Mr. President?"_

 _"Certainly. You see, in the world, there exist decisions that are inherently skewed toward moral or immoral. Too far in either direction can be harmful because the consequences are only a matter of perspective. What is good for one may be bad for another. From everything that I have gathered and what those who I trust assure me, Superman does not define these lines of morality, but has absolute reign over everything in between. Superman, with his supreme power, decides how and when to act and interfere without limitation - and it is a trend that these Metahumans such as Wonder Woman have begun to follow."_

 _"It sounds quite disconcerting, Mr. President."_

 _"Oh, it is, believe me. I have struggled with what to do. Many of my fellow scholars with whom I have spoken, who are just as wary of Superman as I am, have questioned what will become of the human race."_

 _"You - or, rather they - believe that Superman means to enslave humanity, sir?"_

 _"No, that is not what I or they are saying, David. They believe that Superman decides who lives and who dies, but it is through our suffering that we grow stronger as individuals and as a species. You have heard of the popular saying 'what does not kill you makes you stronger.' With Superman's existence, that will not be true any longer; he directly interferes with the Darwinian progress of evolution."_

 _"How does he interfere with this, Mr. President?"_

 _"Many colleagues of mine from before my presidency have spoken with me and these are their words, not mine, although I understand their concerns. There are many rumors that Superman and Wonder Woman are in a potential procreating relationship. Now, if Wonder Woman or anyone who Superman favored was in a precarious situation where her they were stuck with the inability to do anything against death, Superman would act to save them, and by doing this act, he is sentencing others to die. He is choosing sides, choosing who lives and who dies, just as a god would. My colleagues fear that with Superman saving so many people, it creates an imbalance against nature, against the world and interferes with evolution. You know of Earth's population problem, David, yes?"_

 _"Yes, I do, Mr. President."_

 _"I am not going to lie, it is a problem because of exponential growth, but it becomes dreadfully worse because of Superman."_

 _"What do you mean, sir?"_

 _"My colleagues brought this to my attention and while I know that many will have my bald head for saying this, I feel that people must know. With Superman saving all of those who would have otherwise died without his divine-like interference, he is directly contributing to the overpopulation problem, making it even worse."_

 _"I... I don't know what to say, Mr. President..."_

 _"It is quite all right, David. When my colleagues first mentioned it, I was astonished, too. I will now expand my colleagues' premise. If God favors one army over another, then the clashing army will suffer heavy losses as a result. Each life that Superman chooses to save is inadvertently another life that Superman chooses not to save. Superman and those who follow his example have declared that they are neutral, but with each life that they save, specifically Superman, they are taking sides. My colleagues are petrified of our coming future because they think that Superman's very existence is a transgression against the rules of nature, against Darwinian evolution."_

 _"But, Mr. President, what of his claims that he is here to work with us?"_

 _"He has power beyond anyone; there are many who openly worship him as a god and wish to kneel before him. Can you ignore that possibility, David?_

 _"While I do not agree with their decision to do that, I will ask a question on their behalf. Would it be so bad to do that, sir?"_

 _"Nobody has any idea how bad. If a supreme being has complete control and influence over people and events, he cannot be beneficial for them or act in a way that is morally sound for everyone. And even if this supreme being wishes to benefit everyone and act in a way that is morally sound for everyone, as Superman has claimed time and time again, it is impossible for him to have such complete control and influence over people and events. Therefore, he could only help a select number and inadvertently create an imbalance. Those who worship Superman as a god are blinded by a mighty perception. In my slowly changing opinion through my colleagues' just concerns, Superman is not good for the world; his interference with human history is a death knell for humanity."_

 _"And his claims of wanting to work with us, Mr. President?"_

 _"Let me use an analogy that is easy to understand, David. Superman is an overbearing parent, one who could change our existence. If a parent prevents a child from touching a hot stove, they will never learn not to touch it. If they do the child's homework for them, they will never learn the subject of study. If they carry their child everywhere, they will never learn to walk or gain the muscles necessary to do so. If the parent does everything for the child, the child will rely on the parent for everything to the point where they will not know how to exist without the overbearing parent. This interference in a child's development is unnatural, just as Superman's interference in mankind's development is entirely unnatural."_

Click.

Kal tossed the remote and ran a hand through his hair. "How long were you listening?"

"The whole time." Diana said softly and cuddled next to him on the couch, head on his chest, "You must not let them get to you. One day, every single one of them will regret all of the doubts that they ever had about you."

"I'm going to attend a Congress meeting; they've been talking about it in Washington. I've heard it all." Kal said into her hair, drawing peace from her. "I want to prove my innocence and show them that I'm willing to work with humans."

"Maybe the League should join."

"No, the League isn't really the forefront; Arthur is in Atlantis and frankly, wouldn't care if I was blamed, Wally is only a kid, Hal has been off-planet for over a year, and Bruce hates me. It's me they want, who they're afraid of; everything is always about... Superman."

Diana hummed, "Do you want me to accompany you?"

"No, I don't want the government or public to turn against you. I'll go myself and will make sure the truth is revealed, is known."

"I have a bad feeling," she said quietly. "I just feel like there is something larger at play here."

"We'll deal with it together, then."

XxXxXxXxXxX

J'onn was surprised at the turn events that the universe had gifted him. When Maxima had forced him to stay on Almerac, he had thought that he was to be executed for ruining a Royal Gathering.

He was wrong.

For the past several weeks, J'onn had been gifted a Royal Visitor's lounge while he stayed on Almerac. The Queen had shown him the planet and he had to admit that it was quite beautiful. It was very similar to Earth but the technology was more advanced. Maxima had taken notice of him; she would stare at him in bewilderment while they were conversing through the gardens. He was tempted to read her mind but didn't know if Almerac's technology was advanced enough to detect telepathic psionic waves.

He didn't want to risk it.

He didn't dare use any of his powers lest he be seen as a threat and thus, executed. He was permanently shifted into his 'J'onn Kent' form and was thankful that he hadn't chosen another form when 'crashing' the Royal Gathering with Lobo; it took a long time to acclimate to a new form and he was utterly content to be 'J'onn Kent'.

Sorting through his jumbled memories of that night with Lobo, J'onn was able to piece together that he had left his ship in a deep canyon on the outer part of the city; inhospitable to Almerac despite their technological advancements.

He was also able to remember how he had convinced Kelor to allow Lobo aboard his ship:

 _J'onn stumbled with his arm wrapped around Lobo into his ship. Kelor floated forward and he could feel the Android's uncertainty but J'onn couldn't understand why the robot seemed hesitant. J'onn felt great! Lobo was awesome! He was way better right now than his brother! After all, Kal's people had slaughtered J'onn's!_

" _Sir, when you departed from the Scout Ship many months ago, you specified that there would be a list of people who we do not ever allow on this ship. It is a very short list, sir: Bounty Hunters and Bruce Wayne - if he somehow ever came in possession of this ship." Kelor's geo liquid tendrils spread apart in bemusement._

 _J'onn frantically shook his head, vision blurring, "No! No! Because forget the Bounty Hunter-rule! Because this guy is amazing!" He slurred and slapped Lobo on the shoulder, "He shot Hulgon and he went 'poof' and exploded! Look Kelor, watch this! Lobo, do it!"_ _Lobo chuckled and pulled Hulgon's corpse out of seemingly nowhere and dropped him to the ground. He then pulled out a cigar and leaned down into Hulgon's headless neck. He inhaled deeply and his cigar became lighted with a red glow._ _J'onn roared with laughter, "See? Do you not see that, Kelor? That's headless fire-lighting, man!"_

He couldn't believe how plastered he had been; he was still trying to sort through is jumbled memories of that night. He was thankful that besides the Royal Gathering and approaching Maxima to 'give her an heir' and collapse on her, he hadn't done anything too drastic.

J'onn was not in a rush to leave Almerac despite his unwelcoming beginning. He really liked the planet and the citizens; it reminded him of how Earth could be in several centuries. Needless to say, he also liked spending time with the Queen. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She portrayed a haughty demeanor to the Court but when they conversed throughout the gardens, J'onn was met with someone who cared deeply about her people and wanted to do the right thing. She was a warrior with a mean-streak but also showcased an intelligence that J'onn found endearing.

He could have escaped Almerac immediately after he was released, hightailing it to his ship and utilizing the Phantom Drive to disappear, but he found that he wanted to stay. There was nothing on Earth for him.

He was very angry with his brother. The small seed of resentment he had felt on Ma'aleca'andra for Kal had blossomed. The emotions had festered, grown as time passed and J'onn yearned for his brother to teleport to Almerac so J'onn could finally release the fury that poisoned his soul.

Because of Kal's race, because of the Eradicators, J'onn was the last of the Manhunters. He was all alone; there was nobody in the universe like him and it was because of Kal! Well, the Kryptonians but to J'onn, the two had become interchangeable in his fury.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Bruce had worked for hours endlessly and the fruits of his labor were lush and ripe. He had spent over $30 million in the building of his Spear and grenades but it was more than worth it. He had dubbed the rock as Kryptonite and it was the key to killing Superman. Bruce would prevail over the monster and no more innocents would die; he would make sure of it.

The Spear's green tip glowed ominously and Bruce felt unsure. Could he really do it? He shook his head and focused, ignoring his sudden doubt.

After many months, Bruce had managed to retrofit the Kryptonian, Zod's armor into an enormous, powerful Batsuit. The entire helmet was constructed out of the strongest metals on Earth while the body was a combination of Zod's armor and a magnesium-based alloy that was as light as aluminum but as strong as titanium-alloys. It held the highest strength-to-weight ratio in the history of man. He had even, with the help of $2 billion, manufactured graphene-coated fists with diamonds embedded in the material. Since the graphene was over 200 times stronger than steel, he knew that his punches would truly hurt.

He had tested the suit on several rapists in the Slums and discovered that a single punch from his armored fist easily decapitated a human. With the aid of the Kryptonite, Bruce would be able to end the crusade that had become the focal point in his life.

He would triumph over Superman, but could he permanently end the threat that Superman posed?

Bruce, trying his best to ignore the whispering doubts, placed the Spear in a large holster made solely of titanium. He glanced up at the Robin suit he had designed for Jason when the boy was ready to enter the field. On his 18th birthday, Bruce was going to gift it to him but he had never been able to watch Jason's eyes light up as the boy would finally live his dream; making a difference in the world, in Gotham.

He slumped into his chair and typed in the Joker's algorithm - one that scoured the globe for his location - into his computer and felt weariness plague his mind; he hadn't slept for several days.

Selina wouldn't be back for several hours and Bruce was alone. He succumbed to his weariness; it wouldn't bode well if he was an insomniac. Sleep was a weapon. Only a rested mind could solve unsolvable problems. Bruce slouched in his chair and rested his head on the table, the computer's beeping creating a soothing rhythm.

 _His eyes snapped open and panic wormed its way into his heart. He was in an unfamiliar location and didn't recognize anything. He looked down and saw that he was wearing his Batsuit with a long, brown trench coat. He felt a mind join with his own and he suddenly understood where he was. Dirt crunched beneath his feet and he heard something behind him._ _Bruce whirled around, drawing a gun from its holster. The tip of the barrel rested against Selina's forehead._

 _She was unperturbed, eyebrows quirked, "Nervous, are we? Come on, the envoy has arrived."_

 _He smiled but the words that tumbled from his lips were not his own. "Good. Our conquest is almost complete; we will be the meteor that wipes the slate clean. We will finally destroy Superman."_

" _The other rebels are anxious," she informed him. "You could even say impatient."_

 _Bruce waved his hand dismissively. "They just are aching for the new world without Superman; the paradigm that has existed will cease to hinder us and a new age of peace will blanket around the Earth."_ _He grabbed her gloved hand and the other rested on her pregnant stomach. "For him, we will succeed - we have to."_

 _Selina smiled and motioned towards the titanium door. "Come on, let's see the envoy; we need to make sure that nothing is wrong."_

 _He stalked towards the door and grit his teeth, straining against the weight. After several seconds, he managed to push it open with a mighty screech._ _Stepping outside into a hellish reality was something that he would never get used to. He ascended the metal stairs and sand lashed his body, pelting him like bullets. He pulled his goggles off his forehead and wrapped a thick fabric around his jaw, shielding his nose and mouth from inhaling the sand._

 _Selina stepped beside him and followed his movements, scarf cloaking her face and only her piercing eyes were visible. She was covered in intricate body armor that he himself had created for her; it was quite cumbersome because of her pregnancy but he had managed to manufacture an adjustable stomach-shield made of the expensive Dragon Skin body armor._

 _The sand crunched beneath his feet as he approached the vantage point. He felt hatred and sorrow consume him; the world was in ruin and absolute depravity had consumed humanity._

 _The catalyst was Darkseid._

 _After Bruce had dueled Superman and lost immediately, he was forced to listen and understand the truth. Not the warped lie he had created in his mind; he had never cared what Superman's motives were or the reasons behind his decisions. He had learned of how everything had been manipulated, how Lex Luthor was a conniving mastermind. After he had helped Clark with everything,_ _a bond formed between the two heroes and Superman was crucial in the war against Steppenwolf. Without him, Earth would have been enslaved and possibly destroyed. Bruce wasn't afraid to call Clark his friend and he happily encouraged the marriage of Clark Kent and Diana Prince._

 _For several months, the world was as he had always imagined when he began his crusade: safer, beautiful, good. It was a utopia that was hailed as the New Elysium by the world. Bruce was fixing to retire and build a family with Selina and leave the League, allowing a new breed of heroes to rise, but he hadn't been able to._

 _Darkseid had arrived._

 _It was wholly unexpected like most attacks were. Bruce and the League had formed once more and tried to repel the invasion. If Steppenwolf was the herald, then Darkseid was the mighty King. Nothing stopped him except Clark and even then it was noticeable that his friend struggled, whereas Darkseid hardly seemed to tire; the vile alien was actually fascinated with Clark._ _He had continuously tempted Clark with offers of absolute power, offers that, if he was honest with himself, Bruce would have accepted. He had believed everything that Darkseid offered even though he knew he shouldn't. The monster's offers were hypnotic, enticing; it all seemed so true._

 _Clark held steadfastly and continued to rebel._

 _Bruce had concocted a very risky plan to defeat Darkseid, a plan that he knew was far more likely to go awry then be successful. Because he was afraid no one would be willing to attempt it, he hadn't shared his reservations with his teammates but somehow Clark knew; he_ _desperately avoided an encounter with Clark because he knew that the plan would be in jeopardy if he did. Clark had tried to speak with him but Bruce had refused._

 _They executed the plan and just as he became hopeful that his plan worked, tragedy struck like a silent shadow._

 _Bruce's plan had failed and because of his negligence, the pregnant Diana was murdered by Darkseid._

 _He will never forget what happened after:_

 _Everything had frozen; all fighting had stopped and even those damned Parademons had ceased their ministrations, flying behind Darkseid who stepped aside to allow Clark to see Diana. All eyes were locked on the scene and foreboding suffocated Bruce's soul._

 _Diana wasn't supposed to die! Yet, he knew it was very, most likely to occur and he had failed to let his dear friend know the risks - even while she was pregnant!_

 _Clark had fallen to his knees and the earth shook, foretelling what was to come. Diana lay lifeless beneath him and trembling hands rested on her pale face and slightly swollen stomach. Her neck was twisted gruesomely but that wasn't what Bruce stared at in terrified awe. Clark laid his face against her stomach and shook; the baby was dead._

 _Then something changed; bones began to push through Clark's skin, tearing through his suit and his skin morphed into something gray. Talons split out of his fingers and claws formed that could_ _effortlessly eviscerate the toughest enemies. Before his very eyes, Bruce watched in fear as his best friend transformed into something unimaginable._ _Clark suddenly roared to the heavens, shaking the very earth for countless miles. It was a monster demanding blood, a man swearing vengeance on the being who had stolen his pregnant and unborn child from him, Superman transforming into... The Desecration Without Name._

 _When hearing the stories from Clark, Bruce had never believed them, but he believed them now - and was_ _petrified of what it meant._

 _Even Darkseid suddenly looked uncertain and stepped forward. "Kal-El, now you-" he didn't get to finish as an indestructible fist crushed Darkseid's face. The alien slammed into a building and Clark roared, teeth elongated into mighty fangs._ _The fight was colossal; two primordials battling for dominion over the planet and Bruce was ashamed to admit that he had felt relieved that Diana was killed. Because of her death, Earth would be saved because Clark had tapped into a power none of them knew he had._

 _Darkseid had fired potent Omega Beams - beams that Bruce had seen almost destroy Diana, weakening her and leaving her utterly vulnerable for the killing blow - into Clark's mutated chest but besides being pushed back several feet, nothing happened._

 _After several seconds, Clark's chest glowed red and Bruce watched in awe as Omega Beams blasted out of Clark's chest into the stunned Darkseid._

 _The transformed Clark had absorbed the Omega Energy._

 _Darkseid slammed into the mighty Omega Symbol he had carved into the very soil, creating a mighty crater. Clark roared and it shook the very air itself, quivering before his power. He bolted down into the downed Darkseid, slamming fists so quickly that Bruce saw nothing except an extravagant blur. C_ _laws tore through Darkseid's body and the beast that stood in Clark's place ravaged the corpse of the being who had murdered Diana._

 _Elation filled Bruce as humanity was saved but quickly, things began to change._

 _Upon standing over Darkseid's corpse, Clark had turned into something else and announced - in a voice that terrified Bruce - that he was going to create a regime that ruled over the planet. Upon his declaration, all the P_ _arademons joined behind Superman, declaring him their new leader._

 _Bruce, heart filled with anger and regret, had gathered his own task-force. Every League member, upon seeing the monster who Clark had become, joined Bruce and he felt that they could triumph over Superman._

 _Then, Superman had murdered anyone who opposed him, slaughtering the rest of the League, save Wally, who barely escaped, Bruce, and Selina. He brought the world to heel, destroying all of Atlantis and anyone else who didn't obey him._

 _For months, Bruce had watched as the earth transformed into the hellish reality that solemnly stared back at him._

 _It had been all his fault._

 _Selina suddenly touched his arm and Bruce blinked down at her. "What?" He asked gruffly._

" _Look," she handed him the binoculars and Bruce pulled off his goggles, placing the rims of the binoculars against his eye-sockets._ _His vision was magnified a hundredfold and Bruce was looking inside the Omega Symbol staining the earth. Inside was a massive crater and he could see the broken body of Darkseid, forever immortalized as a symbol for those who sought to oppose Superman._

 _Driving around the symbol, an envoy was approaching and Bruce smiled behind his muffler. It was time to rid the world of the alien._ _Clark Kent had died with his pregnant wife, Diana Kent. J'onn Kent had never returned to Earth and was probably killed years ago. All that remained was Kal-El, the alien overlord who was eerily similar to Darkseid._

 _Bruce and Selina greeted the envoy and Selina suddenly placed a hand on his arm. "I don't have a good feeling about this," she hissed urgently, eyes frantic._

" _Don't worry," Bruce assured her, "It will be fine; today is a day of triumph." He pulled her along and the eighteen-wheeler's front door opened. A man hopped out and Bruce observed the stranger. A brown leather jacket hunched over the man's figure and the stranger walked towards the back of the vehicle._ _Bruce followed, pulling Selina along, and saw dozens of men and women exit out of the other cars. He turned towards the trailer and one of the anonymous men pulled open the door with a screeching sound._ _He ignored the group behind him and looked inside the trailer, "Did you get it? The rock?" He asked, voice modulator making him sound demonic._

" _Yeah, we got it." The man motioned for him to enter and Bruce helped Selina into the truck._

 _They saw the large box labeled 'LEXCORP' in giant white-block letters. Bruce nodded and the man opened the lid and smoke drifted out of the container ominously._

 _Bruce couldn't believe that the moment had finally arrived._

 _A green glow lighted the trailer and Bruce stepped forward, hands reaching towards the box. He gazed inside and felt his mind go numb._ _Two lightbulbs emitted the green light and no rock-like substance was seen._

 _They had been duped._

 _Bruce's murderous eyes rose and he was met with the sound of a gun cocking and a pistol aimed straight at his forehead._ _He saw in the corner of his eye that Selina was held at gunpoint and Bruce looked at the man in front of him._

 _Sorrowful eyes stared back, "I'm sorry," he rasped._

 _Suddenly shouts echoed out of the trailer and Bruce had to refrain from turning around. "GET DOWN!" was shouted and Bruce swallowed._

 _He tilted his head and an assault rifle poked his skull ominously. Bruce raised his arms in surrender and slowly turned around, looking outside the truck._

 _Loyalists._

 _The 'S' symbol gleamed and Bruce couldn't believe he hadn't seen the signs! They were all there!_ _Suddenly, the soldier opened fire on all of the task-force members._

 _Bruce blinked and roared in outrage, "NO!" He yelled and smacked his hand into the assault rifle, jarring the man's arm and yanked the arm down, dislocating the shoulder. He pulled a pistol out and shot the man - who was too surprised to react - holding Selina hostage. He suddenly threw the pistol at the man who had duped him and rolled to the side, tossing a batarang into the man's exposed neck, killing him._

 _A blow to his side and Bruce grunted as he was thrown into the side of the truck. Punches assaulted him and then the sound of a bullet firing._ _The man slumped to the ground, blood oozing out of his chest, decorating the man's chest with a red tie._ _Bruce didn't waste time, leaping out of the truck with the man's discarded assault rifle, shooting every Loyalist in sight. He heard Selina behind him, gunning down soldiers with ease._ _He whipped the assault rifle like a baseball bat into several Loyalist skulls, smashing bones with a resounding crack. He heard footsteps rapidly approach and Bruce swung his arm around, rifle slamming into the soldier's neck, killing him._

 _Bruce suddenly rolled and smashed the gun into a kneecap, driving the Loyalist to stumble. Bruce then used the man as a shield and anchoring point, effortlessly firing bullets into his enemies._ _He shoved the man to the ground and unloaded into the fallen body, grabbing the hand of a nearby rebel and trying to help them._

" _Bruce!" He snapped to the side and saw Selina hit in the back of the head with the butt of a rifle._

 _He roared, charging towards the group but felt blows rain to his side. He ignored them and continued. Arms gripped him and he stumbled over the bodies of the slain._ _He wrenched the hand off his shoulder and yanked, slamming the man into the ground._ _Several more Loyalists appeared and grabbed his arms, wrenching them back. He growled and strained when something slammed into the back of his leg, driving him to his knees._

 _Bruce saw dozens of Loyalists surround him and yanked his arm to one side. His arm became free as the soldier stumbled to the ground. He knew this was the end and grabbed the man by the neck, brutally twisting it, killing him._ _A gun slammed into his face and Bruce reeled back. A foot to his stomach had him bending over and then a mighty uppercut snapped his head to the sky._

 _Dazed eyes stared at the Parademons that flooded through the heavens. He was slammed to the ground and then nothing._

 _Bruce awoke with a gasp and blinked several times, turning his head to the left. He recognized several rebels chained to the ceiling, bodies desperately seeking to escape._ _He turned to the right and sighed in relief; Selina stared back at him anxiously and Bruce strained against the metal, trying to free them._

 _Multiple sonic booms erupted and Bruce paused, swallowing as he looked straight ahead._ _Four guards on each wall stood at attention by a large ladder. The ladder was bathed in divine light and led up to the surface._ _The sound grew louder and Bruce flinched when he saw Superman suddenly land through the hole, appearing like a vengeful deity, shaking the earth as dust popped off the ground, clouding the air._

 _All the guards knelt in reverence._

 _Bruce watched as Superman stepped closer, face twisted in malignity; eyes glowed red and Bruce could do nothing as all his fellow rebels were slaughtered like helpless children._

 _Selina gasped and struggled against her bonds._

 _Superman stepped closer and stared at Bruce in utter disgust._

 _Bruce swallowed and Superman raised both hands and brutally ripped his and Selina's masks off._

 _Selina shook, "Clark! Please!" Her attempts to persuade were for naught as Superman glared down at the masks; his eyes burned red again and the masks were incinerated._ _Bruce huffed heavily and with haggled breaths, glared back at his former friend._

 _Superman tilted his head, leaning towards them, eyes alight with power. "She was my world…" Bruce quivered as terror filled his heart, "And..._ _you_ _took her from me." Bruce rattled against the chains as Superman turned towards Selina, "She trusted you… it was misplaced." His former friend snarled and swiftly punched through Selina's petrified face._

 _Bruce screamed as fresh, warm, blood splattered against his skin. He stared in disbelief, rapidly blinking, as the love of his life's once beautiful face was now gone; a large hole remained and he saw splinters of white bone fragments stuck in remnants of gray tissue, brain tissue._ " _You motherfucker!" Bruce roared, hatred rushing through blood, igniting his soul with life, "You bastard! She was pregnant!" Spittle sprayed out of gnashed teeth, "You murdered my son, Clark!" He screamed himself hoarse, "We were going to name him after you, the man you used to be!"_

 _"Two lives for two lives," Superman's face was twisted into a fierce scowl. "Diana was pregnant and so was Selina; you took Diana from me and I take Selina from you."_ _Before his eyes, The Desecration Without Name replaced Superman. Hands morphed into claws and bony protrusions pushed through the tough skin._ _Bruce shuddered and his former best friend placed a single clawed hand on his sternum. Immediately, his rib cage crunched as pain replaced the hate that drowned his blood._

 _Superman sighed in what seemed like relief or even lust and slowly, achingly drove his hand through Bruce's chest cavity._

 _Absolute agony flooded his mind as he felt his heart being crushed. He roared-_

Bruce awoke screaming, hands darting to his chest, heaving in desperation. His hands shook and he looked at his desk; drool decorated the surface, staining the pristine glass. He sighed in magnificent relief.

It was only a nightmare, but why did it feel like something more?

"BRUCE!" A window with lightning intricately arching together appeared in front of him abruptly. Bruce backed away, wide-eyed as a man appeared and Bruce blinked; he recognized him.

"Wally?" He whispered in shock. He was certain it was his teammate but there were major differences. Whereas joy for life always wafted off him, this Wally looked worn, beaten, haggard.

"Yes!" Wally's eyes shined with desperation, with terror. "Listen to me, now!"Wally shuddered, "It's Diana! Our Diana! She is the key!" Wally obviously saw something in Bruce's expression that caused his features to fall, "Am I too soon?" He yelled out, looking back into the portal for a split second, "I'm too soon!" He shook his head in agony, "No! Supposed to arrive… before Diana! Before Darkseid! No!" His petrified gaze met Bruce's once more, "You're right about him! You've always been right about him! Diana's the key! Fear him! You have to stop it from happening! Diana's the key! Fear- _"_

The sound of ripping fabric.

Bruce gasped, hearing the expulsion of breath, the throaty whimper, that echoed through the room. Wally seemed to bow his head, leaning forward deliberately, exaggeratedly. Then, Bruce watched as red splattered against his floor in small drops. It wasn't until his gaze drifted towards Wally's chest that the fist - the same fist that had lobotomized Selina - sticking out of the lightning symbol registered in his mind. Wally's lifeless eyes stared back at Bruce and then it suddenly all disappeared.

Bruce felt his hands begin to shake and curled them into his chest. Everything was clear; that was from the future. Something ruptured inside him and he still had the memories; his unborn son was murdered by Superman - just as Jason has been! The world became an apocalyptic wasteland! Superman was the demon... the monster... The Desecration Without Name. His mind tunneled; there was no more doubt. His hands continued to shake and he knew the only way for them to stop shaking was to end Superman.

He was going to change that future; he was going to kill the devil! He was going to save the world!

Superman would die!

XxXxXxXxXxX

 **Holy smokes! That was one** **long** **chapter; it kind of got out of control. So, what do you guys think? I would really appreciate it if you left a review; they make my day. So, tell me what you thought about this chapter!**

 **So, a bunch of stuff happened in this chapter. Let's take a look and see if I can explain my reasoning:**

 ***So, the world is either for Superman or against Superman. I really enjoyed** _ **Batman v Superman's**_ **interpretation** **of how the world would view a being like Superman. "On this Earth, every act is a political act."** **That** **quote is the perfect example of how Kal would be viewed on the planet. He has more power than anyone and nothing could stop him. He intervenes in state-level, government-level interventions and those with political backing, hate it.**

 ***The device in Kal's suit that he uses to visit J'onn is basically a teleportation device. He can travel through different galaxies instantly. It is the same thing as a Phantom Drive except smaller.**

 ***Lex Luthor went to school with Kal and J'onn during their teenage years! I always found the** _ **Smallville**_ **TV show fascinating because it had Clark Kent and Lex Luthor become great friends while Clark was in high school. I implemented the same idea and had Lex** **discover** **Kal's powers. Needless to say, Kal and J'onn freaked out - their parents', the Kents, had ingrained in them the need for secrecy. The government would experiment and torture them - and Kal encouraged his brother to erase Lex's mind of the incident. Lex knew that something had happened though; he is one of the most intelligent beings in DC, rivaling Supes, Darkseid, and even complimented by Brainiac, THE smartest being in DC. Eventually, their friendship deteriorated and Lex subsequently became "evil" and then later, President of the United States as he does in the comics.**

 ***Bruce now has Kryptonite, courtesy of Arthur. In this version, Atlantis is** **pissed** **about the World Engine and Arthur resents Kal for not helping Atlantis rebuild by giving them Kryptonian technology. Arthur only believes that Bruce is going to talk to Kal, not kill him. Bruce is, unfortunately, manipulating his teammate because he is so desperate to acquire the Kryptonite…**

 ***J'onn appears once again! He gets into some trouble and meets Lobo; then he gets drunk and flies off to Almerac. Because of his actions, J'onn is forced to stay on the planet. He really screwed that one up. Several weeks eventually pass and J'onn finds that he likes Almerac, specifically Maxima. Time has warped his sense of reality as he was able to witness, firsthand the remnants of the Eradication of Ma'aleca'andra by the hands of Kal's people. Deep down, he knows that Kal isn't to blame for the slaughter but when a trauma of that magnitude haunts someone continuously, reality becomes skewed to the one who is hurting.**

 ***I hope I wrote 'Clark Kent' realistically. To me, it felt almost as if I was writing about a whole new character. Since I killed off Lois Lane, I needed a partner for Kal at the Daily Planet and thought Pete Ross would be a good fit. He knows Kal and J'onn's secrets and would** **never** **tell; he is trustworthy and has known the Kent brothers for years.**

 ***All right, here's the big one that I** **know** **some people were appalled at by what I did: Lex Luthor is a hybrid of a Human and Celestial, the son of Athena - who created him for some experiment. Now, before you start raging, hear me out on this one. Lex Luthor has always wanted to be the best; he has always valued his intellect above anything. He is egotistical, arrogant, and immoral but he** **truly** **wants to save the world. He** **truly** **thinks that** **he** **can save the world. When Superman arrives, it shows Lex how** **weak** **he is, how imperfect he is compared to the mighty, god-like Superman who was nothing like his friend. I decided to give him alien blood because he hates aliens and because his intellect is something that has always bothered me; it's practically impossible for a human to be as intelligent as he is in the comics. It is poetic that he himself is half-human; it is something he** **has** **to struggle with. He has to accept that the reason his intellect is so magnificent is that he is Athena's son, an alien. He has to learn to become grateful for the alien DNA that runs through his veins because that is why he has succeeded the way he has. (I'm not saying that humans aren't special; Batman is the best humanity has to offer even though he has walked a dark path. Humanity is young compared to Krypton and the Celestials. Humanity is still learning, evolving. Their time will eventually, inevitably come.) Luthor has always been such an arrogant character; he truly believes he is the greatest. He truly believes he will save the world. His intellect is unparalleled save for Kal, J'onn, Athena, Darkseid, and Brainiac. Not even Batman can hold a candle to the intellect that Lex possesses. In my story, Luthor has to accept that part of the reason he is smart is that of being an alien. I understand that you all might hate it but I like it. It's poetic.**

 **Lex Luthor has allied himself with his uncle, Ares. Also, General Lane and Aquaman's brother, Orm have joined them.** **That** **does not bode well for anyone. An alliance between them is dastardly and boy, Kal and Diana will have their hands full. By the way, Lex Luthor is not a superhuman by any standards. Physically, he is pretty much the same as any other human male of his height and build but mentally, he is far above any human, above even Batman.**

 ***So, I added the dialogues from "The Superman Question" in BvS. I** **loved** **that scene because it showed how humans would react, in today's modern era, to Superman. Questions and accusations would always be thrown and no answers would be received because Kal wants his privacy. That moment encapsulates Kal-El's role in the world perfectly. That scene represents how** **any** **superhero would be seen in the eyes of the world and it's more than beautiful in my opinion. This is a whole new take on the idea of Superman. No one, at least in my opinion, has ever looked at the implications of an alien living amongst humans, actively intervening in Earth's problems and issues. Would the world welcome him? Would he be hailed as an enemy? What about the nations of Earth? Would Superman be a threat to their national security? Specifically, the United States; the U.S. has foreign policy and would have to discuss at length what to do.**

 **I added the interview with Lex Luthor and it is heavily based on something I read called "The Mind of Lex Luthor." It is fascinating and I believe that it is exactly how Lex would begin to turn humanity against Superman with his sly and logical words. I really enjoyed writing that and realized that all of it, if looking at it from a certain angle, was correct.**

 ***The Knightmare! Bruce falls asleep and witnesses what the future holds. Darkseid happens and then Diana, who is also pregnant, is killed because of Bruce. Kal then turns into Doomsday (If you haven't read SuperDoom, the comic, go to Comicstorian on YouTube. He reads the full story and it is one of the best channels on YouTube. It is one of my favorite Superman stories ever!) In the DCEU, Kal has the** **potential** **to become Doomsday. Here is my author's note from chapter three detailing the Doomsday Theory:**

 _ **"The reason that the Kryptonians were obsessed with the Growth Codex was that of Doomsday. In Batman v Superman, when Lex attempts to create a mutated Kryptonian, the A.I. warns 'Action forbidden - it has been decreed by the council of Krypton that none will ever again give life to a deformity so hateful to sight and memory - The Desecration Without Name.' This basically alludes to how "The Desecration Without Name" is a mutation of Kryptonians that has deviated away too much from the core species itself. While this deviation makes the new species stronger, it also makes it savage. This is why natural Kryptonian conception is proclaimed as a heresy, as the random mixing of genes could potentially create an unstoppable monster. Thus, the Codex was established to limit any unwanted mutation, i.e. maintaining the benign gene pool. It's understandable to assume that Kryptonians with their scientific advancement had mastered interstellar travel and even colonized other planets. Many of these planets could be in systems centered around yellow stars like Earth's. If we assume that the Kryptonian Codex restricted them from exploring other planets, there's really no rational explanation for it. Their military was more than capable of expanding their territory. Therefore, the Codex came in later. At one point in the distant past, the Kryptonians had an interstellar empire, expanding and colonizing yellow-sun worlds with access to their full Kryptonian capabilities, and reproducing naturally, until eventually, one or more Doomsday mutants started to be born. It's not just a matter of natural conception, traveling to different planets would possibly present a different environment for Kryptonians, thus leading to unpredictable evolutions. There could also be cross-breeding, which led to mutations. And these evolutions could result in Doomsday like creatures being born. I believe that is why in MoS when Zod and company are searching the colonies, they come across nothing but death, and the expressions of the dead's faces were terrified. This was because a Doomsday mutant was born and started killing them all. The Kryptonians retreated to the only place the monsters couldn't go: Krypton. The red sun would drain the Doomsday's powers the moment they entered the star system, and the atmosphere would render them weak to their weaponry. Thus, the Kryptonians imprisoned themselves within their own planet to defeat Doomsday. They abandoned the space exploration and retreated to their homeworld. Since those events, the Codex was established to avoid any such events and the Kryptonians began to avoid travel beyond their own planet out of fear of evolution itself. Most of this explanation came from Vedant Das Swain on Quora. I really like this theory because it explains a lot and it actually makes sense."**_

 **Kal was a naturally conceived Kryptonian. (I'm not going to have him transform for the main story. I just wanted that as a possible future and it fit in perfectly for the Knightmare.) He slaughters everyone off, takes control of the Parademons and becomes a dictator. Selina was pregnant! Then, she and the baby died;** **that** **was hard to write but I wanted something that would further augment Bruce's decision to battle Kal; his mind is at the beginning stages of insanity, now. Then, Bruce wakes up and Wally appears, warning him of the future. If you didn't understand the Knightmare scene in BvS, then let me explain my personal theory: I believe that Darkseid or possibly Steppenwolf arrived and Lois somehow died because of something Bruce had done. Then, Kal killed Darkseid or Steppenwolf, recruiting the parademons as his army and took over the earth. The Flash runs back in time, trying to warn Bruce of the coming calamity. The reason Bruce is able to** **see** **everything that happened was that of the Flash; the Bruce of the past and the Bruce of the future's minds were in sync; the memories from both timelines collided with one another.**

 **Well, that's everything. I really hope you all enjoyed it. Leave a review and tell me what you all think; I would really appreciate it. Sorry again for the long Author's Note!**

 _ **Stay Safe  
**_ **ButtonPusher.**


	9. Chapter 8

**Thanks for all the reviews! I love hearing all of the feedback from you guys! It makes my day every time I see a new review!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Justice League or any of the characters associated with DC Comics.**

XxXxXxXxXxX

The gates of Olympus were grand, shining in the brilliance of its inhabitants. For too long, they had hidden like cowards while the cosmos believed them to be extinct. The Celestials were one of the ancient races and Ares was going to make certain that the universe hailed them as such when he returned them to the top of the food chain.

For centuries, he had watched enraged as his father was content to hide like a coward, never seeking to change their predicament. Ares knew the only one who would be able to slay his father was himself, but he didn't have the power! He needed a warrior! He coveted Olympus! He coveted the throne of his father! He coveted power!

Zeus was the only obstacle in his path.

For decades, Ares had sought a warrior, one of unparalleled might, who would aid him in his conquest of destroying Zeus. He had searched but found none until Lex Luthor had stumbled upon secrets that could become the downfall of the Celestials.

He had appeared before the human, aching to kill him but to his shock, felt an aura that marked him as a Celestial. Ares narrowed his eyes as he recognized Athena's features in the boy - that bitch! Just to spite her, he was going to kill the ignorant human but he quickly saw an opportunity as he realized that Lex Luthor was the first of Athena's experiments to survive; she was investigating how different a Celestial half-blood was from a full-blooded Celestial, and most of her experiments had always died young. Apparently, if what Ares had heard was correct, his sister's experiments were why Zeus had had the confidence to beget Diana.

Athena had always prided herself above everyone save their father. Her intellect was hailed as the greatest in creation by Zeus. Ares, when he was younger, had always sought to solve problems with his fists but he saw an opportunity with his sister's bastard.

Lex Luthor would be a deterrent that Athena could not outsmart. The scales were evened and Ares knew that Luthor would be the warrior who he had sought for so long; he had just always thought that it would be a warrior of strength. Because of Luthor, Ares would be able to destroy his father's lifeforce.

His nephew loathed the Kryptonian - the only being save Zeus who Ares feared - more than anything because of a petty childhood disagreement and Ares knew that it would be easy to manipulate the boy. Just as he had foreseen, Luthor agreed instantly once Ares revealed the truth; he had even gifted the boy with the knowledge about his abilities. Because he was Athena's brat, Luthor was able to access her essence's light and truly use his mind to its full potential.

The Celestials were brain-like entities that had the ability to gather their essence into a single body, an Avatar that contained all their power. Upon finding refuge on Earth, each of the elder Celestials had merged their essence with elements and energies of the planet. Ares had quickly submerged his essence within _war_ once he was born as his father ordered _._ Zeus had done the same with the _sky_ when he had journeyed to Earth and the others had all chosen their domains just as swiftly.

The essence for each Celestial was somewhere on Olympus, hidden away from prying eyes. Only Ares knew where his own essence lay and only Zeus knew where his own essence was.

Thanks to his brother, Hephaestus and Lex Luthor, Ares had a way to evade that obstacle in his path to absolute power. All of his siblings and cousins would join him save Athena - _the_ _bitch!_ \- in the dethroning of Zeus and the elder Celestials; Hercules, Apollo, Artemis, Eris, Aphrodite, Hebe, Hephaestus, Persephone, Hermes, Ersa, Enyo, Eileithyia, and Dionysus were easy to persuade to join his conquest and Ares knew that not even Zeus could stop what was coming.

At first, he had been concerned that Diana and her Kryptonian lover might ally themselves with Zeus but upon witnessing the conversation between father and daughter on the day of the Kryptonian Invasion, all of Ares' concerns dissipated like a summer's snow.

Diana hated their father and refused to trust him.

Ares also knew she hated him far more than anybody in the universe; she would love to kill him if given the chance. Ares knew that his decision to slaughter the Amazons had been reckless, to say the least, but he had been so enraged when he had learned the truth about Diana's birth. Nevertheless, she would have no idea that Ares would soon rule the Celestials and he would try to persuade her to join him. If not, he would kill her and with the combined might of his siblings and cousins, slay the Kryptonian, the heir to the Eradicators.

"Are you ready?" Apollo appeared beside him and Ares looked at his brother in contempt.

"Of course! I've waited for this moment for centuries." He gripped his brother's shoulder tightly, "Make certain that you don't lose your nerve," he hissed, glaring into the golden eyes of Apollo.

Apollo gripped his shoulder and wrenched Ares' hand off with a grunt of effort, "Don't worry, brother. Zeus will fall and the new reign of the Celestials will rise from his mistakes."

Ares smiled maliciously, "Good. Make sure the others are ready." He dismissed and turned back to contemplating the object adorning the wall of his palace.

It was the weapon that would end the reign of Zeus: the Blade of Olympus.

An enormous broadsword that, between the combined contributions of Hephaestus and Lex Luthor, could sense and locate the auras of every Celestials' brain. It was his nephew's greatest contribution to Ares' crusade and the only reason why he was even able to challenge Zeus. Luthor had been instrumental in his resurgence, also being the deterrent who was as smart as Athena herself and could determine what paths she would follow and which she wouldn't.

He heard his siblings appear behind him and Ares turned towards them with a savage grin. "My fellow Celestials," he began. "My brothers and sisters and cousins. We have all watched as Zeus and the others have been content to collect dust and let the universe forget us. Because of the Eradicators, our glorious race has been in hiding for far too long!" He spat, staring into the eyes of all his kin, "Today, with the help of everyone in this room, we will rectify the mistakes of Zeus, of our parents. Today, we will alert the universe of our return!" He finished, raising his fist in the air.

Hercules raised his fist and the rest followed, eyes looking at Ares in reverence. He was their new leader, their new King; he was the one who everyone would follow, who would obey him without question.

Ares smiled and lowered his fist, "Now, we all know the plan, correct?" His eyes burned with power, "We all know what's at stake."

"Yes, brother." Aphrodite smiled, perfect teeth sparkling, "Slay the Avatars of each and then slay the 'brains' while they are healing from the backlash of their Avatars being destroyed."

He frowned, "You all know your task? Your main enemy?"

Enyo, the daughter of Demeter and Hades, rolled her eyes, "Eileithyia and I are tasked with killing Athena's Avatar." Ares nodded in approval, eyes darting towards Eileithyia, the daughter of Poseidon and Hera. Even though he _really_ wanted to kill that _bitch_ , he would leave her to his cousin and half-sister.

"Me and Ersa are going to murder my mother." Eris, the daughter of Hades and Hestia, said dryly, eyes gleaming with strife. Ersa, the daughter of Poseidon and Demeter, grinned and threw her arm around her partner in the killing of Hestia.

Dionysus, the son of Zeus and Demeter, sipped from a chalice, "Persephone and I are slaying mother." He said almost lazily while Persephone, the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, nodded in excitement, anxious to finally be rid of her mother.

Aphrodite, the daughter of Zeus and Hera, sauntered over and Ares stared at her luscious curves. She draped an arm across his chest, "Hebe and I are going to kill our mother." Ares almost drooled at the thought of Hera slain at his feet. He hated his mother as much as the bitch _._ It was ironic, really; Hera loathed Athena, yet the two were so similar in their arrogance. "Once everything has been accomplished, we can _celebrate,_ " Aphrodite whispered in his ear and Ares grinned with a mixture of bloodlust and lechery.

"Festus and I are going to confront... Hades." Hermes, the son of Zeus and Hestia, muttered and Ares almost felt sorry for his two brothers. Hephaestus, the son of Zeus and Hera, was a large Celestial and could hold his own for a short time against their uncle in raw strength but Hades was unsettling on good days. Hermes would be forced to match the unrelenting force of Hades' molecular manipulation.

Artemis, the daughter of Zeus and Hestia, looked at her twin, "Apollo and I will face Poseidon." Ares stared into the golden eyes of Apollo and was not surprised to see the shine of fear in their depths. After all, Poseidon was only surpassed in eminence by their father and easily one of the most powerful of their race, second only to Zeus himself in sheer power.

"Brother, you and I will clash against father." Hercules, the son of Zeus and Hera, nodded at him, muscled arms stretching across his broad chest.

Ares closed his eyes briefly; it would take everything to dethrone Zeus. There was a reason why Zeus was the King of the Celestials; despite having grand molecular manipulation talents, his father was an excellent fighter, one that Ares was fearful to face by his lonesome. He was thankful his siblings save the bitch and cousins had chosen to stand by his side.

Ares plucked the Blade of Olympus off its perch and smirked at all those who were gathered around him, "Let's get started."

XxXxXxXxXxX

Ares almost sauntered up to the steps towards the throne room, siblings and cousins following behind him eagerly. This was the day that he had dreamed about for centuries. This was the day when _he_ would dethrone Zeus and rule the Celestials.

He paused, staring at the intricate symbols carved into the grand, golden doors. Tales of the Celestials were told in Ancient Greek throughout the beautiful scripture. He glanced at his entourage and when they all nodded, eyes gleaming in anticipation, Ares pushed the heavy doors open.

All eyes darted to the group and Ares proudly stalked to the middle of the throne room, smirking at the bitch, his father, his mother, and his aunts and uncles.

"What is the meaning of this?" Zeus hissed, lightning sparkling through his eyes. He sat on the magnificent golden throne that Ares had always coveted.

Ares bowed mockingly, "This is the end of your reign, father." His siblings and cousins nodded in agreement, "Sadly, none of you will be able to see my rule."

"So be it," Hades sneered and chains with scythes with a purple glow surrounding the deadly blades wrapped around his large arms. Poseidon followed and a mighty trident formed in his hand. Hestia looked at the group sadly and created a fiery staff. Demeter looked at her daughter in shock and unconsciously summoned a small ax. Hera glared at Ares in disgust and a white spear appeared in her clenched fists.

Athena raised an eyebrow at the group and two large daggers materialized in her hands. "What is that weapon, Ares?" She demanded, eyes wary. "Who forged it? Hephaestus?"

Ares grinned ferociously, "Festus designed it, but the true contributor was your son, dearest sister. Your experiment has become mine."

"Then Luthor will regret it," she hissed out, looking furious.

"He was eager to help me; he will be the main reason why I destroy you all. The blade will find all of your brains."

He noticed the fearful glances exchanged between everyone else but Zeus simply stared at him and his loyalists in contempt. "My brothers, we were forged in victory as we escaped the _Eradicators_. It was a victory that brought forth the reign of Olympus. Born from the depths of the remnants of Supmylo, rooted in the blood of our slain kin, our city emerged out of the chaos." Ares rolled his eyes as he realized what his father was doing; a grand and majestic speech that would inspire the elder Celestials and Athena to achieve victory. The benefit was double-sided because the speech would inspire Ares and his loyalists as well. Ares didn't interrupt his father as he continued, "As it grew, so too did the prosperity of Olympus. We created a safe world, a world of peace. A world that thrives off the safety of my throne, a throne that has come to be the absolute measure of strength and power. Now, on this day, that power is to be tested! Our petulant children, specifically Ares, seeks to destroy all that we have wrought! Brothers, we must unite and stand together! We will triumph over these _fools_ , and I will wipe out the plague that my bloodline has wrought! Olympus will prevail!"

All was silent for several seconds and then, everyone attacked.

Ares and Hercules leaped towards the mighty throne of Zeus, weapons ready to spill the blood of their father. Zeus rushed forward and batted Hercules fist aside and swung his leg into Ares' exposed arm. The Blade of Olympus fell out of his grip and Zeus glanced at it but lost interest when Hercules punched him in the ribs.

Zeus snarled and lightning blasted into Hercules, smashing him into an enormous pillar. Ares jumped at Zeus but his father leaned away and kicked his exposed stomach.

"You were always such a disappointment, son." His father sneered and slammed his fist into Ares' jaw.

Hercules suddenly jumped at Zeus and caught him by surprise, slamming several fists into the King of the Celestials' face.

Ares risked a glance towards his siblings and was relieved to see that Hestia and Demeter's Avatars were already dead. Dionysus, Persephone, Eris, and Ersa were now aiding in the battles against Hades and Poseidon.

Hercules suddenly slammed into the ground next to him, wounds littering his body, "Brother, this is becoming most strenuous." He grunted and abruptly screamed as lightning swarmed his body.

Ares hopped to his feet and blasted his father with a ball of energy but it was batted aside effortlessly. "You say that I was a disappointment when it was _you_ who failed, father!" Ares roared, charging forward in absolute hatred.

Zeus' eyes grew alight with lightning and Ares narrowly avoided the massive bolt of lightning. He snarled and summoned his own lightning, but it was noticeably weak compared to his father's. Zeus _caught_ the tendrils of lightning and hurled it back at him, increased tenfold. Ares' eyes widened and he could do nothing as the lightning slammed him into the golden throne.

He blearily opened his eyes, holding his chest in pain and blinked several times as he stared at the battles. The bitch's Avatar was dead and so was his mother's. All that remained were the Big Three - Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. There was a reason why they were feared by all; the three sons of Sunorc and the saviors of the Celestial race. The three worked together seamlessly, batting aside attacks and lashing out with _power_. Hades's claws twirled through the air in a protective shield against Artemis and Apollo's arrows while he shot out tendrils of dark energy against Hermes, shadows wrapping around the feet of the quick-footed Celestial. Hephaestus leaped forward with a large hammer but was swatted aside by a large bolt of energy from Poseidon's trident. The twins attempted to catch Poseidon off guard but a massive wave slammed into their forms, tossing them into the downed Hephaestus. Poseidon twirled around, raising his trident to block Aphrodite's knife that was headed for a killing blow. He wrenched his trident to the side and swung it around his head, smashing it into Aphrodite's face as she screamed in pain, slamming into Eris' advancing form. Hades suddenly leaped forward and caught an arrow inches away from Poseidon's face. Ares watched as his uncle's eyes widened and a massive explosion shook the throne room.

Ares grunted and stood up gingerly. He froze as the smoke from Apollo's arrow cleared and both his uncles stood in the center of the throne room unharmed. The dark aura that surrounded them in a shield quickly dispersed and Hades leaned against his brother, eyes blinking rapidly in weariness.

A massive clash of thunder appeared next to them and Zeus held two swords made of pure lightning, eyes alight with rage.

Ares felt all his siblings and cousins weakly align themselves by his side. All eyes portrayed hate and there was only one way for this to end.

Death.

The elders faced the younger generation as they sought to take the crown.

Poseidon spat a large glob of water at their feet, "You are all pathetic! It's too late for you to stop what you've done. Because of this, you will die." He suddenly leaped forward and before anyone could react, impaled Eris in the throat with his trident and tore her head off in a showcase of absolute brutality.

Ares blinked as his sister's Avatar fell to the ground and her essence faded, returning to her 'brain'. He roared and charged forward, punching Poseidon in the face and stumbled back when the butt of the trident smashed into his stomach.

He screamed as a sword of lightning impaled his leg and his father's voice hissed into his ear, "You petulant child! I will tolerate your insolence no more!"

Zeus kicked aside Eileithyia and sliced her Avatar's head off with his other sword. Ares swiftly elbowed his father in the face and yanked the sword out of his leg. With a grunt of effort, Ares was able to focus his essence and heal the wound. He looked around and his eyes widened in anger and fear as he watched Hebe, Ersa, and Enyo's Avatars slain by both his uncles within seconds. He charged but was intercepted by one of Hades' claws as it brutally snared his shoulder.

His uncles' black eyes glared at him. "I never liked you... I will enjoy killing you." He yanked his arm forward and Ares yelled out as he was wrenched forward toward Hades' outstretched fist.

Upon impact, Ares was smashed into a pillar and in a daze, looked up as Persephone was executed by her their uncle. Dionysus was held by the throat as Poseidon stabbed him repeatedly in the chest. Soon, his Avatar dispersed.

All that remained were himself, Hercules, the twins, Festus, Hermes, and Aphrodite.

Ares saw the Blade of Olympus discarded in the rubble near him. He reached out and grasped the hilt, eyes glowing in rage. With a roar of hatred, he yanked it towards him and spun towards his uncles, releasing the moving blade towards Hades. Ares watched as the blade suddenly embedded itself through Hades' head.

Everyone stopped what they were doing, ceasing their battles and watched as Hades' Avatar dispersed with an animalistic, hysterical scream of defiance towards the heavens.

He had managed to murder Hades!

The sound of his uncle's glowing, purple claws clanging against the throne room floor brought Ares out of his euphoric triumph.

"Ares!" Poseidon screamed and Ares narrowly avoided the trident that suddenly flew towards him at in a blur. Poseidon punched him in the face and kicked him in the chest.

Ares landed roughly into Aphrodite, who was desperately trying to heal the three massive gashes that marred her otherwise perfect features. He glanced towards Zeus and Poseidon, standing up as the twins were shot full of lightning, hurtling towards Hermes who couldn't avoid Apollo and Artemis' approaching forms as his legs had been frozen over with a wave of water by Poseidon.

Hephaestus and Hercules nervously glanced at each other and Ares quickly scooped up the Blade of Olympus, joining his siblings against Zeus and Poseidon.

Zeus narrowed his eyes and dashed forward, lightning swords clashing against the Blade of Olympus as Ares strained against the strength of his father. He dimly noticed Festus and Hercules battle Poseidon.

"I will have much work to do after I kill you." Zeus hissed, eyes glaring in contempt. "I should have never allowed your existence!"

Ares growled, "No! Your time is finished, old man! It's time for a leaner generation!" He swiftly smashed his head into his father's and both stumbled back in pain.

An agonized scream had Ares' attention dart towards his brothers. Poseidon had impaled Festus clean through and smashed Hercules into one of the thrones. Before Ares' could react, Poseidon spun around, hands leaving the trident, and smashed his foot into Hephaestus' face who flew into the wounded crowd of siblings. Poseidon swiftly grabbed the trident from midair and swung it around, blocking Hercules' incoming strike.

Ares jumped back as lightning slashed his arm. Zeus leaped forward, swinging his other sword towards Ares' exposed side. Lightning seared his Avatar's flesh and Ares growled, responding with a kick to Zeus' overextended leg, driving his father to kneel. Ares smashed his fist into his father's face and slashed the Blade of Olympus into his father's chest.

Zeus screamed, stumbling back and Ares's eyes widened as a wide grin spread across his face. He had finally triumphed over his father! After several seconds of waiting for Zeus' Avatar to disperse, Ares swallowed as he watched his father's Avatar _heal._ Ares risked a glance towards his brother and saw Poseidon stab Hercules in the leg, bringing the muscular man to his knees.

Ares knew that he could _not_ fight both his uncle _and_ father simultaneously. He still had several seconds until Zeus fully healed. He rushed Poseidon and swung his sword in a diagonal arc, aiming to sever his uncle's head from his shoulders.

Poseidon tipped his trident back and Ares' eyes widened when the blade was stopped, trapped in the prongs.

"Foolish boy," his uncle grinned lavishly and wrenched the trident forward. The Blade of Olympus snapped out of Ares' grasp and he was left defenseless. Quickly, he focused his power and a large, double-headed ax with fiery cracks running through the metal appeared in Ares' hands. He swiftly blocked Poseidon's jab and retaliated with a kick to his uncle's knee.

Poseidon stumbled and Ares felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up. The sound of sizzling lightning echoed in his ears and Ares knew his father was about to kill him.

"No!" Hercules roared from the ground and rushed forward.

Ares watched in disbelief as his brother jumped in front of the dual, lightning swords that were meant for him _._ Hercules fell to the ground with a grunt, swords embedded in his stomach.

He instinctively ducked and watched Poseidon's trident swipe over his head. Ares saw his opening and with all his strength, roared in hatred as his ax swung upward, slicing through Poseidon's exposed chest and head.

His uncle stared at him with wide, impressed eyes, body flickering in imminent mortality. "I always knew that you would attempt to seize your father's throne. Zeus should have kept you where you belong." Water-like eyes shut and Poseidon's Avatar dispersed, his trident resounding off of the marble floor for several seconds. Then, nothing.

Silence.

Ares turned around slowly, warily like a beaten child as he stared at his father. His hands gripped his ax as he prepared for the final confrontation that would decide who would rule over the Celestials.

Zeus was enraged and lightning sizzled throughout his body in a showcase of power, "It did not have to be this way, Ares. This path is of your choosing. Know this: I created you, my son, and I will be your end!" He blurred forward and Ares felt two swords of lightning sizzle through the air.

He jumped back and swung his ax but Zeus slashed the handle, easily cutting through the metal. Ares dropped the other half and rolled to the side, towards the direction where Poseidon had wrenched the Blade of Olympus. He began crawling towards the gleaming metal.

"Even now, as you are about to die, defenseless against my power, you still defy me?" His father growled, sounding like erupting thunder, "Everything that you have ever known, Ares, will suffer because of your disdain for those greater than you. You will never rule Olympus! You will never be hailed as the King of the Celestials!" Ares had continued his path towards the blade while Zeus deprecated him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hermes and the twins rise to battle against their father.

His father snarled and ravaged their bodies with lightning. They fell to the ground, twitching as lightning spasmed through their forms. "I will deal with your insolence later." Zeus sneered.

Ares' fingers grasped the handle of the blade and he yanked it forward into his outstretched palm.

"No!" His father had noticed the weapon but it was too late.

Ares jumped to his feet and swung the Blade of Olympus towards his father.

Zeus caught the blade in his hands and Ares' eyes widened but swiftly pushed the blade towards his father.

It was a battle of strength; father versus son.

Zeus' fingers curled across the blade, sparks of lightning blooming across the shining metal and Ares smiled in victory. With all his strength, he roared and shoved the sword forward. With a satisfying scream of pain from his father, the blade sliced through Zeus' hands uncontested.

Ares loomed over his father's beaten form. All that remained of Zeus' hands were the thumbs and the lower parts of the palm. He noticed with delighted fascination the dismembered hands and fingers lying on the gleaming throne room floor like discarded animal parts flung there by a careless butcher.

Zeus glared up at him with hate-filled eyes. "This isn't over; she will avenge the ones you unjustly slaughtered."

Ares narrowed his eyes at his father's words, "Diana?" He laughed loudly in disbelief; he couldn't believe Zeus had the _gall_ to call upon his half-sister in his last moments, "No, she won't, father. She hates you, hates us, the Celestials."

"You will lose," his father spat.

Ares felt a smile split his face. "No, you have lost, father," he felt his siblings crowd around him and Ares felt delicious chills flood his body as his dreams had _finally_ become a reality. The Children of Zeus loomed over their father and Ares smiled in conquest, staring into the agonized eyes of his former King, his father, "The Era of Zeus is over!" He announced darkly.

He pointed the Blade of Olympus at his father and drove the weapon into Zeus' chest with a satisfying _squelch_.

Zeus screamed and Ares' eyes widened and he noticed his siblings step back as lightning ravaged through Zeus' body. The Blade of Olympus began to vibrate from the tendrils of lightning and Ares pulled it out, dropping it as his hands became numb.

His eyes locked on his father's and a massive bolt of lightning seemingly exploded out of Zeus. A shockwave of power blew Ares and his siblings back like tumbleweeds and when they stood to their feet, Zeus was _gone_.

Ares blinked and stared at the lightning-scorched position where his father had been. Had Zeus somehow escaped? Was his father dead?

"What just happened?" Hercules grunted, standing next to him, wounds healed. "Did he disappear?"

No.

Ares smiled evilly at his brother, "His Avatar was destroyed. We triumphed. We secured victory as we had sought to."

"We won," Apollo breathed as he gazed at where their father had been.

Aphrodite sauntered over and lasciviously threw herself into Ares' arms, "Once we find and destroy all their 'brains', we will celebrate." She whispered hotly.

Ares knew that Apollo was definitely correct; he had won _._

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal landed in front of the Capitol Building slowly, gazing upon the architecture of the structure that housed the United States' Congress. He could hear all the chants of people behind the gates and felt sad. There was much more chaos, now, especially because of Lex's interview; the divisions were greater than before. But even then, he knew that if he did something wrong, those who still defended him could just as easily turn on him - just as all of the others did after Lex's interview. The only people who truly accepted him were Diana, who was an alien herself and Wally somewhat. The speedster was a good kid and Kal was happy to be included in Wally's 'Favorite People' list.

He sighed and slowly walked up the marble steps, focusing his movements so they would be viewed as calm and soft. Entering through the large, heavily decorated doors, Kal felt his mind slow down. This was where, when he would prove his innocence and that he was more than willing to compromise with the humans, with the government. He wasn't an overbearing parent as Lex had declared; he was a helper who wanted to do the right thing.

Walking through the halls of Congress, he was struck by how much history flowed in the very walls of the building. He knew that he would probably never be permitted into the Capitol Building again, so he soaked in as much as he could. People stared at him in thinly-veiled fear and new knowledge bestowed by Lex from the interview and Kal ignored them, keeping his eyes focused on the walls and the history.

Several heavily-armed policemen greeted him, "This way, Superman." They gazed at him warily but their tone was nothing short of civil. Kal nodded his head and they guided him through the building. He could hear their heartbeats thrum rapidly, adrenaline coursing through their blood as they were prepared for him to lose his mind as Zod had.

After this meeting, that was going to change; no one would fear him. He would prove that he was trustworthy and not responsible for the African village slaughter. He would prove all of the things that Lex said about him false, too.

They paused at dual, massive doors and both took a position by the frame. In synchronized movements, they pulled the large doors open with a loud groan and Kal's eyes scanned all the inhabitants - hundreds of powerful men and women who all stared back at him, fear and hate shining in their dark eyes. They were the elitists who hated him, always had, and their hate had only grown since his emergence; Lex's interview only coaxed their hateful flames to burn brighter.

Kal slowly walked forward and every side conversation ceased; all was silent for every person save for him. He could hear everything in the building and the throbbing heartbeats; he could hear the entire country, and if he stretched, he could hear everything on the planet. The massive doors slammed shut and several senators flinched. Kal kept his eyes forward and stepped towards the large podium obviously meant for him. A small wooden gate separated the crowd from the podium and Kal gently, humanly opened the gate. His footsteps echoed through the hall as he righted himself before the podium, hands clasped non-threateningly in front of his groin.

He was surprised that Lex wasn't in attendance to testify and scorn his name again but he was immensely relieved by his old friend's absence; he gazed almost sadly at the spokeswoman, a woman who had publicly condemned Kal for the past several months: June Finch.

Finch leaned forward and spoke into the microphone, "Let me say at the outset that I am grateful to our witnesses, Wallace Keefe and Kahina Ziri, for coming before us today." She gestured towards her left and Kal tilted his head to the right, staring at the man in a wheelchair. He was struck by the boiling anger and disgust that stared back at him. It reminded him slightly of Zod although no human could ever hope to obtain such... wickedness that had plagued Zod those final moments. "This is how democracy works." Finch continued, "We talk to each other. We act by the consent of the governed, _sir._ Before the Kryptonian Invasion that you led here, the Justice League was a government-sanctioned taskforce under A.R.G.U.S.' command. After the destruction of Metropolis," her eyes darkened, "the Justice League has become a non-affiliated organization for any nation on this Earth. Technically, they are not even recognized by the United Nations; it is unacceptable. Because of your actions, _sir,_ our esteemed President Luthor has been unable to pass the many legislations that he had promised when he was inaugurated. You have blatantly, continuously intervened in government-level operations such as the brilliant test that our President had constructed several weeks ago in Metropolis."

Kal heard a ticking sound and became alarmed; he glanced at the man in the wheelchair, from where the sound originated. After a moment, he glimpsed the man's intricate watch and then focused his sole attention back on June Finch.

"I have sat here before, just as many others, to say these shadow interventions will not be tolerated by this country, by our government, and neither will lies _._ President Luthor will appear before this committee to testify because today is a day for truth. Because only by speaking…" Finch's eyes darted toward the side and Kal knew his old friend was about to reveal himself. Several seconds passed and no one shuffled out of the entryway; no President Luthor. Finch continued hesitantly, "Only by working together, can we create a free and just- " she abruptly paused and her features grew pinched, pale in fear. Her eyes darted to the left and Kal narrowed his eyes, hearing her heartbeat galloping like a horse.

He heard the ticking sound grow louder and Kal glanced to his right, alarmed. The man in the wheelchair grinned in malevolence, eyes gleaming with the intent of retribution. A flash of intense light and deafening roars erupted and Kal winced in pain, bolts of searing agony scorched through his mind, blinding him. Then he blinked and saw the fire swarming him in the death-filled room. His eyes widened.

A bomb.

The man in the wheelchair had been a suicide bomber, and... it was too late.

Kal stood frozen, watching in shock as fire and death stared back at him. His face contorted into anguish, knowing that most people in the Capitol Building had perished in a fiery death.

The fire devoured through the building and every inhabitant except one.

Superman.

Kal turned his head away from the sight and instinctively knew that he was going to be blamed for this horror. The crowd outside had already turned on him; he could hear the horrified screams and whispers of those in the crowd outside.

" _He killed them all with his laser eyes!"_

" _She was right! He is a vengeful god!"_

 _"He must be angry at President Luthor's interview!"_

 _"President Luthor was in there!"_

 _"NO! He isn't an overbearing parent; he's a furious, abusive parent!"_

" _Death to Superman!"_

" _Death to the alien!"_

" _Death to the false god!"_

He clenched his fists and blurred through the desecrated building, desperately seeking the ones who had somehow survived the explosion.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana knew that after today, things were going to change. Whether good or bad, that depended on Congress' mood. She turned on the TV, seeing the news of Kal arriving at the Capitol Building. She smiled encouragingly at the screen, "It's going to go well, Kal," she whispered. "I know you're nervous but things will be worked out. The truth will be revealed. All will be fine, my love."

A mug of coffee was held in her hands; despite not being affected by the beverage, she had found that she liked the taste. Her robe was wrapped around her body and she sat on the couch, glancing at the phone as it rang.

She raised a brow and reached over, plucking it off the table, "Hello?" She answered, sighing as she realized that she hadn't checked the caller ID.

" _Wonder Babe!"_ Wally yelled into the phone, _"Supes is on TV!"_

Diana rolled her eyes, "Yes, I'm aware, Wally. I'm watching the broadcast right now. I don't know why you are so excited. Kal is always on TV."

" _Yeah, but in all those other times he wasn't going to be changing the political structure of our entire society!"_ He sounded disappointed that she didn't understand his jubilation. _"Everything is going to change because of this; it's the first step to getting the League recognized by the U.N. and become a sovereign power."_

Despite herself, she felt a small smile twitch on her lips. "You're right, Wally. I should know better. My mind has been preoccupied."

 _"With Luthor's interview?"_

She sighed, "Yes. That man has always unnerved me but now, he infuriates me. I know that he's out to get Kal, regardless if I have proof or not."

 _"The interview was explosive, that's for certain. Those I've talked to all say that their minds are wavering on the brink, now; they either choose for or against Supes. They said that the outcome at today's meeting at Congress will be the deciding factor."_

"It's unbelievable! How little faith they have!" Diana was unable to keep her voice from rising as her anger sizzled in her chest. "Kal is none of those things. Luthor is provoking certain latent philosophies to undermine the loyalty towards Kal!"

 _"I agree with you,"_ her friend sounded sad. _"I don't know what the President has out for Supes, but he's playing dirty, that's for certain."_

Diana swallowed, "They were friends once; they went to school together and even lived together at the Kent Farm."

 _"WHAT?"_ Wally screeched, _"You mean... Clark, J'onn, and Luthor were...?"_

"They had a falling out," she whispered. "They were all children and you know how foolish children are. Luthor has taken a mistake and logical reaction out of context; he is insane."

 _"I can't even wrap my mind around that right now, Diana. Let's just focus on the meeting at Congress. At least I will be able to understand that."_

"You're right, of course. As you said earlier, this will change- " she cut herself off as she gasped, standing to her feet as she watched a massive explosion decimate the Capitol Building. She dimly felt the mug of coffee slip out of her grasp and shatter against the floor. She stared, wide-eyed at the screen, scarcely breathing as horror consumed her. "Mother of Sunorc!" She exclaimed, needing to release the tension that abruptly bore down on her soul like the sky itself, "Wally!"

" _I saw it,"_ he sounded as shocked and broken as Diana felt. _"I'm seeing it but I can't… Nobody will support Clark, now..."_

"I know," she whispered. "Wally, I'll call you later, okay?" She hung up as she saw Kal tending to the wounded in front of the large crowd that had gathered for the meeting.

He looked like a broken toy soldier. Sorrow wafted off his form and he stared up, seemingly directly into the camera itself. Anguish was painted on his features. Kal shuddered and then bolted into the sky, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

She placed a hand over her mouth and felt tears well in her eyes; Kal was going to be blamed. Somebody - more than likely Lex Luthor - was sabotaging her Kal, painting him as a menace to the planet. She swallowed and sat on the couch, mind racing as she thought of where Kal could be.

He could be anywhere in the universe; he was fast enough to be on Mars by now and he could have used his belt's Phantom Drive to leave the galaxy.

She considered calling Wally again when she saw a flash of red out of the corner of her eye. She whirled to the left and felt utter relief consume her as the sight of Kal floating outside in the yard met her eyes. Diana blurred forward, yanking the door open and jumping towards Kal. With a small quake, she landed next to him, a breeze gently swirling through her robe.

"Kal?" She questioned gently, softly as she touched his shoulder.

"I didn't see it, Diana," he said tonelessly; it scared her, "He was right there and... I didn't see it. I failed, and all of those people died because of my incompetence."

Diana shook her head, "Kal, there must be somebody behind-"

"I'm afraid that I didn't see it because I wasn't... looking for it." He interrupted, turning to look at her and the absolute anguish and pain in his eyes broke her heart, "I heard the 'ticking' sound but ignored it, carelessly thinking it was the man's damn watch. I should have scanned the building, should have scanned everyone, but I dropped my guard and it literally blew up in my face. I trusted that... that no one would attempt something and that they would trust me to tell the truth, but... I was wrong, and I wasn't able to stop it. Congress and this country's leading political figures are dead because of me."

"Kal! No!" Her eyes widened, "That is not your fault! It must be Luthor's! Don't take the blame, Kal; it's not yours!"

"It is, Diana," he said solemnly, "All of this time," his eyes became blank and it terrified her. "I've been living my life the way that my father saw it, but now I realize that... that I've only been righting wrongs for a ghost. Jor-El placed... he placed too much trust in humanity - just as I have done. Dad was right... about everything."

Diana swallowed, "Kal," she whispered. "Please, just come insi- "

"I continuously, carelessly deluded myself into thinking that I was here to do good _._ " His eyes locked on her own and she couldn't look away, "'Superman' was never real - he just a dream by a farmer from Kansas." He turned away and his absolute, broken certainty in that statement ignited her soul.

"That farmer's dream is all that some people have, Kal," she said passionately, knowing he was listening closely. "It's all that gives them hope." Kal turned his head towards her and she stepped closer, hand rubbing the 'S' symbol gently, "This symbol means something; it's important."

"It did on my world," he murmured brokenly and his eyes seemed ancient, sorrowful. "But my world doesn't exist anymore; it's gone."

Diana gripped his hand anxiously, keeping him from flying off when he began to levitate. "It means something to me!" She exclaimed, "Krypton might be gone and I can't even fathom how that feels, but I am here. I love you! Together, we can accomplish anything. We can and we will get through this. Whoever is sabotaging - if it's Luthor - will face justice for his crimes. It will all be revealed and the world will know that he was smearing your name!" Kal turned his head away and Diana almost growled, "You changed my world!" She cried out, "You have given me hope! After Ares' slaughter of my sisters, I was broken and jaded, closed off to the world around me even though I had seemed absolutely fine." She squeezed his hand and lowered her voice, "It wasn't until when I met you that I began to heal and have... hope again. I know that there are others - many others - who feel the same way! You've changed the world, Kal. You've made them hopeful again." She swallowed and desperately hoped she had gotten through to him, broken through the misery that clouded his soul, his judgment.

After several seconds, Kal's fists clenched. "I don't know what to do," he whispered, turning towards her. "Everything that I do is not enough. No matter what I do, people hate me; they scorn my very existence. Everything is so much worse, now. Lex's interview fanned the flames and... and Congress added oil to the fire. I wish that all of the answers were so simple."

Diana surged forward and hugged him tightly. "I know," she consoled gently, "and I'm here for you, always _._ " His arms wrapped around her and Diana sighed in relief.

She had broken through the noxious cloud of misery.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Arms wrapped around Diana, Kal closed his eyes and let the memories flow. The sound of all hearts dying, every scream that was uttered. He squeezed Diana tightly and was so thankful that he could touch her without breaking her.

Eyes still closed, Kal searched through his memories, trying to find a solution to his misery.

" _It's something, isn't it?"_ Kal's eyes snapped open and he saw his parents, the Kents, standing several feet away, looking at him with understanding. He stared in disbelief at the sight, quickly realizing it was a vision or a memory; they had no heartbeat and he couldn't hear their breathing. His father smiled at him, hands placed lightly on his hips. _"I remember one season, the water came bad; I couldn't have been older than 12-years-old. Dad had out the shovels and we went at it all night."_ His father chuckled, _"We worked 'till I think I fainted, but we managed to stop the water."_ A slight pause and a sad smile graced his dad's features, _"We saved the farm and then celebrated. Your grandma baked me a cake and said that I was a hero."_ He inhaled slowly, _"Later that day, we found out that we had blocked the water all right. We had sent it upstream and as a result, the whole Lang farm had been washed away."_ His father spoke softly, _"While I ate my hero cake, their horses were drowning… I used to hear them wailing in my sleep, haunting my dreams."_

Kal swallowed, "Did the nightmares ever stop?" He asked, knowing that to Diana, he sounded insane.

His father smiled gently, _"Yeah, when I met your mother; she gave me faith that there is good in this world… She was my world."_ His father's eyes grew dark, sad. _"I miss you, son,"_ he breathed out.

"I miss you too, dad," Kal whispered, "What do I do?"

 _"People fear what they don't understand and sooner or later, different scares people. Many times, it's not a matter if they like you or dislike you; they just... fear you."_ His father smiled sadly, _"It's part of human nature, son; it will always exist and no matter what you do, people will still feel that way. Nobody is perfect and humans are flawed, we all are; it isn't a puzzle that you can solve, no matter how intelligent and strong you are. Your burden is incomprehensible, but you have the strength to bear it and stand proud in front of the human race."_

Kal watched his father fade away sorrowfully and only his mother remained; she smiled at him lovingly.

" _My baby boy,"_ her eyes brightened. _"Nothing in this world has ever been simple._ _You're not a killer or a threat; they don't understand."_ She shook her head slowly, _"I never wanted this world to have you or your brother. I never wanted that darkness to poison your innocence._ _You've done so much and I am so proud of you, Clark. Be their hero, my son. Be their monument, be their angel, be anything that they want you to be… or be none of it."_ Kal's eyes widened and he stared at his mother in shock. " _My precious boy, you don't owe this world a thing."_ She tilted her head to the side, eyes shining with love. _"You never did,"_ she smiled at him gently. _"It's your choice, not theirs. You get to decide, Clark, and only you know what's best for you."_

Watching his mother fade away, Kal blinked and composed himself; he looked down at Diana, who was staring at him with love, too. "Thank you," he breathed and kissed her. "You're my world," he whispered against her lips.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana smiled and pressed her lips to his urgently, "I love you." She pulled him into the house and sat on the couch, "We need to decipher who is trying to sabotage you."

"It's Lex," Kal said simply, wearily. He stared at her with sad eyes, "He was supposed to appear at the meeting and he never did. Then, the… the bomb exploded."

Diana nodded, not feeling surprised; her suspicions had been correct. She gripped his hand, "Luthor's reckoning will come and so will those who are allied with him."

Kal stared at her, "I just wish it… wasn't the road he had chosen." He said sadly.

Just as she was about to speak, he interrupted her by ducking down and slanting his lips over her own. His hands slowly moved up her back, over her neck and into her silky hair. He moved her head to the side. She understood and opened her lips, letting him in. A deep groan rumbled in his chest, she could feel it pleasantly vibrate against her breasts. His tongue was wet on hers, gliding in her mouth. It was desperate, trying to erase the horrors of the day. Diana moaned as she tasted him, his scent invaded her mouth, completing her. Heat pooled in her stomach, collecting into arousal; it made her feel weak.

He suddenly pulled back and stood up, warily looking behind her. Diana frowned and followed his gaze.

Zeus.

Her eyes widened, "What are you doing here?" She growled, wishing she had her armor.

"I hope that I wasn't interrupting anything, daughter." Her father said dryly, not sounding at all apologetic and that's when she noticed his physical state.

His hands were dismembered and his features were drawn with weariness, eyes showcasing his age. Zeus was leaning against the wall in apparent pain and despite herself, Diana became concerned.

"What happened to you?" She asked incredulously.

Zeus stumbled towards them and Diana found herself helping him to the couch, hating the fact that she felt sympathy for him.

"Ares led a revolt with the aid of all your siblings and cousins save Athena." He rasped out, staring at her with tired eyes, "As a result, they were able to slaughter all of the elder Celestials save myself; I barely managed to escape."

Diana's jaw dropped, "What?" She whispered, images flooding her mind of the Amazon's slaughter by Ares' hands.

"How could this have happened?" Kal demanded, sitting next to Diana. "How could you and your siblings be overthrown?"

"I have sired many children and so have Poseidon and Hades; they are large in number and strength. They had grown tiresome of my rule." Her father looked at his chopped up hands.

Diana frowned, "Why aren't you healing?"

"For me to explain, you must know the truth _._ " Zeus stared at her almost desperately.

"What truth?" She growled, "What else have you been keeping from me, from us?"

"Diana, let him speak. I suspect... that he is close to death." Kal said gently, eyes compelling her to listen to Zeus.

"You're immortal! How could you be dying?" She asked her father incredulously.

"Let me explain." Zeus said quietly, "Once I tell you the truth, all will make sense."

Her fists clenched, but she nodded in response, allowing her father to speak.

"The Celestials were an ancient race and respected throughout the universe. My father, Sunorc desired more. We had all heard the stories of the Kryptonians, the _Eradicators_." Her father's eyes darted towards Kal, "We were jealous of your people, Kal-El. My father wanted to usurp your kin. For years he had concocted strategies but none proved effective. He eventually realized that he would need to go to war with Krypton. Upon his declaration to the universe that Krypton was weak and the Celestials were stronger, my father was confident that our people would triumph over the _Eradicators_."

"But he was wrong," Diana said softly.

Zeus nodded, "He was, and our race paid the price for his arrogance." He sighed, "You see, our race were brain-entities."

Kal leaned forward while Diana frowned, "Brain-entities?" She repeated.

"Yes. That was the advantage that my father believed would ultimately triumph over Krypton. Each member of our race's 'brains' was hidden and they would subsequently create an Avatar that held all of their powers and characteristics. These Avatars were immortal and very powerful. In essence, our 'brains' were our true bodies."

"How did Krypton destroy you, then?" Kal asked, "If you could never die, how did your race become nearly extinct?"

Zeus chuckled, "Our Avatars could be destroyed with the right amount of power, which your people had in abundance, or weaponry, which your people also had much of. What I meant was that they were ageless. Once our Avatar is destroyed, a severe backlash floods our 'brains' and practically paralyzes us for months." He stared at Diana, "Through means unknown, the _Eradicators_ began finding and slaying all the 'brains' and our race was utterly powerless to stop the inevitable. Once my brothers and I realized that Krypton was going to eradicate us, we hatched a plan to save ourselves. Our Avatars secured our 'brains' and we swiftly escaped our doomed world with three females of our race."

"So, Krypton destroyed Supmylo and you journeyed to Earth?" Diana guessed, becoming engrossed in her father's tale, her lineage.

"We knew that if Krypton somehow received word that a Celestial yet lived, they would inevitably find us and destroy us. Hades recommended that we journey to a back-water solar system, hiding among its inhabitants. He reasoned that nobody would surmise that the Celestials were hiding amongst the weak."

"It makes sense." Kal nodded, "Upon your Eradication, Earth was primitive. As such, you were hailed as deities."

"Yes, and I saw an opportunity. Hades, Poseidon, and I each mated many a time with Hera, Demeter, and Hestia, siring offspring that would continue our race. I sanctioned the humans to fabricate a mythology revolving around us, creating stories that would mask Krypton from deciphering our whereabouts if they somehow discovered our existence. I allowed the familial relations myth with my kin develop because nobody would suspect that six godly 'siblings' were the last heirs to the once-mighty Celestials." Diana nodded in understanding, beginning to grasp her father's past. "Eventually, after several centuries, I discovered Ares' treacherous ambitions along with those of all my other children and the children of Hades and Poseidon. The younger generation wanted the crown. I could have alerted my kin but I kept it a secret. I knew I had to handle the situation very carefully; our race could become truly extinct if I deluded myself. The Amazons worshipped us as their gods and I took full advantage of their beliefs, believing them to be the army I needed to oppose the younger generation." His eyes locked onto Diana's, "Your mother was my granddaughter, the child of Aphrodite. She already had my blood; she was strong and beautiful. I seduced her and conceived you as my secret weapon, the one who would oppose Ares and the younger generation."

Diana bolted to her feet, glaring down at her father's broken form, "What? _Why?"_

"Our union bore you, Diana." He said, eyes serious yet filled with pain, "My blood combined with your mother's - who already contained my blood - to create you, the god-killer. You are powerful and thus, capable of avenging me."

Kal gripped her hand and gently pulled her back down to the couch. "It's okay," he soothed.

Zeus sighed, "Against all odds, for I had been most rigorous in your concealment, Ares found out. Then, he slaughtered the Amazons as retribution for the 'insult' to his name."

"They're all dead because of me." She whispered, the words her mother uttered before she died finally making sense, _'Ares… did this… retribution… crime, birth.'_

"Unfortunately, Diana, that is correct," Zeus spoke quietly, warily as he gazed at her.

Diana felt fierce hatred ignite her soul, "I'll kill him!" She stood up and a thought occurred to her, "Why didn't he kill me? On that day, I was alone, trying to sneak into the Sanctum. Why didn't he…"

"I suspect that Ares sought to turn you to join his faction. He sought to have the 'god-killer' join him in his crusade against me and the elder Celestials." Zeus sighed, "Plus, he knew that if he killed you, I would have a viable reason to kill him and the traitors."

"The other Celestials - the younger generation - helped slaughter the Amazons?" Kal leaned forward.

Zeus nodded, "Yes, I believe so. There was never any evidence to suggest that Ares acted alone in his actions. Despite our races' might, the Amazons were a strong race. It was interesting because they were much more evolved than humans. When we had arrived on Earth, they were already thriving and after several decades, we managed to convince them that we were the reason for their existence."

"That's interesting," Kal glanced at her, eyes telling her not to speak about Kara Zor-El or the true origins of her people, the Amazons.

"So, I was nothing more than a weapon to you." Diana spat out, glaring at Zeus, hating the fact that she felt hurt. "That is the sole reason why you are here, now; you need mine and Kal's help to avenge you."

"That was the initial purpose, yes," her father admitted slowly, "but when I watched your childhood, I fell in love with you. You were so _innocent_." He sounded awed, "It was incredible, I had never seen such innocence in one of my blood. I observed your life and watched you grow into the beautiful woman who stands before me in disgust." Zeus sighed, "I know that I have failed you, Diana. I know that I was not a good father to you and stood idly by while your Amazon family was slaughtered by your brother, my son."

Diana blinked and felt tears well in her eyes. "Thank you," She said softly. She didn't forgive him but she felt her disdain for her father lessen some.

"How are you _sure_ that Ares and the others have overthrown you?" Kal questioned abruptly.

"Our 'brains' were always kept in a location where no one but ourselves knew their whereabouts. Ares has stumbled upon a weapon that can sense the 'brains' and decipher our 'brains' vicinities. Once he and the others destroy our 'brains', we will cease to exist."

"How come I don't have a 'brain'?" Diana asked suddenly, "Wait, do I have one? Have you hidden it?"

Zeus chuckled weakly, "No. Only full Celestials have 'brains'. When I sired you, that was my intention; you wouldn't be hindered by that weakness."

"What happens when you die?" Diana asked softly, "What happens when your 'brain' is destroyed?"

"That was one of the many reasons I came to see you." Her father said, eyes suddenly serious, "Upon my demise, my essence's light will be extinguished. What that means is, you will no longer be able to draw upon my power. You will effectively become like your Amazon sisters; much weaker than you are now, but still a lot stronger than humans."

Diana shook her head urgently, "No! While that is everything I wished for many years ago in my childhood, I don't want that now! I've finally found someone who is my _equal!"_ Her eyes darted towards her lover, "I don't want to be 'normal' anymore. Is there any way I can change that?" She asked desperately to her father.

Zeus smiled, "I'm relieved to hear that, daughter." He breathed deeply, "There is so much that I need to teach you about the light. They are part of you, Diana. You've drawn upon it before; whenever you have used my lightning, you are tapping into my essence's light."

"I can rarely ever use my lightning." Diana protested, "Only when I've ever truly been angry, like when I was fighting Faora, or grief-stricken when I showed Kal Themyscira. When in a death situation, instinct takes over like during the Android on the Scout Ship. Other than that, it's always been like a small flame that I can't ever ignite into a raging inferno."

"I can teach you, Diana." Zeus nodded encouragingly, "Focus on my essence, feel it within you. Touch the light and _embrace it_."

Diana's eyes closed and she searched for that small flame. _There!_ She hovered around it, listening to her father's words. She touched it and felt the _lightning_. The _sky_. She hesitated as she felt the light begin to fade away.

"Embrace it, Diana. Accept it," Zeus' voice echoed in her mind and Diana was strengthened by his resolve in her abilities. She grasped the flame and pulled it towards her, embracing the light.

Her eyes snapped open and she felt her power grow. The tiny flame had blossomed into a refined inferno.

Zeus smiled, "Well done, Diana."

"What happens when you die?" Kal asked, "Will Diana be able to draw upon your essence's light?"

"It will become her essence. By embracing the light, Diana has unlocked her full capabilities. When I pass, you will feel the light within you cry out." Her father's eyes locked onto her own, "If you wish to be this way instead of a normal Amazon, then you must hold onto the light."

"Why?"

"It will struggle, fight. It will try to disappear, daughter." Zeus leaned forward, "You must keep the light from escaping. Once I die, the light will yearn to search for my 'brain'. You must keep it from doing so. You must keep ahold of the light! Eventually, it will fully bond with you, creating your own essence. Then, you will discover that you have molecular manipulation abilities; you will be able to create powerful weapons out of _nothing._ "

Diana blinked, processing what Zeus just revealed, "Will I have a 'brain' as you do?"

Her father shook his head, "No, only a full Celestial possesses a 'brain'. You are three-quarters of Celestial blood." He sounded relieved.

"Thank you," She said softly, gazing at her father in a new light; while he had made countless mistakes, he was ultimately, at heart, a good person.

"Kal-El," Zeus stared at her lover intently, "I need you to keep her safe _._ My time is almost over, but my legacy won't just be that of a father who had failed his children; it will be history _._ Diana has accepted her inheritance and she will be a guiding light for this world and any other that she journeys to." Her father sighed, "I have reluctantly accepted your union with my daughter, Kal-El." Zeus and Kal stared at each other, understanding passing between them, "Your people slaughtered my own, leaving all that remains of my civilization upon the one you claim as your mate, my daughter. You will be the same; she will be the Last Celestial and you, the Last Kryptonian. She will need your help dealing with her siblings and cousins for they will come for her. She needs the heir to the mighty Eradicators _._ You must protect her and keep her safe, Kal-El."

Kal stood up and stepped closer to her father, kneeling down beside his weary form. He placed a hand on Zeus' wounded shoulder, "I promise,"

Zeus' form slumped, "I can sense that Ares is close to my 'brain', Diana. So he will not become suspicious, you must kill my Avatar."

Diana's eyes widened, "No!" She stood up, glaring down at her father, "I am not going to kill you!"

"You must! It is the only way!" Zeus roared, "Ares will know that I somehow survived his siege if my Avatar is not killed when he finds my 'brain', Diana!"

Diana shook her head, "I'm not going to kill you! You're the only family I have left whether I like it or not!" She screamed.

Zeus' eyes softened, "Oh Diana," He breathed, "I have wronged you terribly. You will always have a family with him." He gestured to Kal, "Once Ares and the traitors have been dealt with, the legacy of our civilization lives on in you, Diana."

Several tears spilled on her cheeks and Diana hastily wiped them away. "I still can't kill you," she said softly.

Silence.

"I'll do it," Kal looked at her, "It's okay, I'll do it." Diana's eyes widened at Kal's declaration.

"No, Kal!"

Kal squeezed her hands, "It's okay, Diana. Trust me," he said gently and Diana found herself nodding.

"Thank you, Kal-El." Zeus nodded tiredly, creating a sword out of seemingly nothing and tried to hand it to Kal, "This will kill me."

Kal slipped out of her hands and stepped towards her father. "I'm sorry," he whispered and he plucked the intricate, powerful weapon out of Zeus' dismembered hands.

"Keep your promise, Kal-El." Her father murmured just before Kal blurred forward and tore Zeus' Avatar apart with the sword.

Her father dispersed in a shower of blue sparks.

Before she understood what was happening, Diana wept as she knew any chance of ever bonding with her father was stolen from her by _Ares_ \- just like her mother and sisters! Kal dropped the sword, pulling her into his arms and she gratefully leaned against him, mourning the father that she had only ever understood for several minutes.

Time lost all meaning as Diana was held in Kal's arms. "Thank you," she whispered against his neck.

"I didn't want you to have to kill your own father, to have that guilt poison your heart, regardless of your relationship with him." Kal kissed her forehead gently, "I didn't want you to be like me after Zod."

"What are we going to do?" She wondered, "Ares and the others are powerful, and they will come for me."

Kal sighed, "I believe that we will need Wally's help. Bruce couldn't do anything and would utterly refuse even if we asked, Hal is off-world, and Arthur would be unwilling to aid us; he is still bitter about the World Engine."

Diana swallowed, "We need more _._ " She looked up at him urgently, "Visit J'onn and see if he would be willing to aid us."

"All right," Kal's eyes brightened with the prospect of seeing his brother again, "I'll teleport to his ship's location when you're feeling better."

"I feel fine." Diana protested, "You should go; I can be alone."

Kal gently shook his head, "You shouldn't be alone at a time like this. I wanted to be alone after Zod, but you remained by my side and helped me heal from that horror."

Diana smiled tiredly, "What would I do without you? You're my world."

"You're my world as well, Diana, always _._ " Kal kissed her tenderly and Diana reciprocated, grateful for her lover, her best friend, and her world.

Her eyes snapped open and she pulled back with an audible gasp, "It's happening!"

"Zeus' 'brain' was destroyed." Kal concluded, "Remember what your father said! 'Keep ahold of the light!'"

Diana's lips parted and her eyes shut as she journeyed to the light. It fought her strenuously and she desperately grasped the flame, squeezing with all her strength so that it would _stay_.

When she was a child, deep down, she had always known that she was different from her Amazon sisters. As a result, she wanted to be like them. She didn't want whatever it was that made her so different from her family. She wished, day and night, that she would be 'normal' like her sisters and mother.

As she grew, so too did her desire to be 'normal'. So too did her resentment for the differences that she had that separated her from others. Eventually, she learned _why_ she was different.

She was Zeus' daughter.

Diana had overheard a conversation her mother had with her aunt, Antiope. She had grown numb as her worst fears became a reality. She was different and there was _true_ evidence to prove it.

Now grasping onto the flame, her inheritance, Diana realized that she was happy she was different. Because of her special abilities, her heritage, she met Kal and fell in love with him.

She desired to accept her full power, accept who she truly was.

"I am Diana of Themyscira, daughter of Hippolyta and Zeus, and the mate to Kal-El, the Last Son of Krypton!" She shouted and pulled the light closer, letting it envelop her.

Diana opened her eyes to find Kal looking at her careful, eyes scanning her body for any discrepancies.

She smiled, "I'm fine, Kal. In fact, I feel better," She closed her eyes and sought out the light; it was shining in absolute radiance and she felt lightning crawl through her body. She remembered her father's words, ' _Then, you will discover that you have molecular manipulation abilities; you will be able to create powerful weapons out of nothing.'_

She pictured a beautiful, engraved sword and she felt the molecules in the air follow her command, building the weapon out of nothing, just like Zeus had said.

Diana felt a weight in her hands and smiled as she gazed upon the sword; it was just as she had imagined it. She glanced at her father's sword discarded on the coffee table. Apparently, the weapons wouldn't vanish when their creators met their demise.

"That's incredible," Kal breathed, staring at her in awe, "Are you stronger? Did the acceptance only unlock your molecular manipulation ability?"

"I feel the same in terms of strength." Diana admitted, twirling the extravagant sword in her hands, "I think it only unlocked the molecular manipulation."

Kal blurred forward and Diana felt his laps fasten to hers. "What was that for?" She whispered against his mouth, suddenly feeling his erection pressing into her stomach.

"You look more beautiful than ever before; I couldn't help myself," Kal growled, eyes flickering between blood red and cerulean blue.

Diana closed her hands, testing to see if she could force the weapon to disappear and was slightly surprised when the sword followed her command, vanishing from sight. "Well, I think you better worship your goddess." She teased and yelped when Kal scooped her into his arms and in the blink of an eye, was looming over her on their bed.

"That's a great idea." He smiled and kissed her, tongue wrapping around her own, massaging it.

Diana moaned and reluctantly pulled back, "What about J'onn? Shouldn't you visit him?"

"Tomorrow, I'll teleport to my brother," Kal whispered and hotly kissed her neck, traveling up to her jaw.

Diana became lost in the feel of her lover, her world as he ignited her body in ways that only he could.

XxXxXxXxXxX

J'onn stared at the architecture of the Almerac palace. Brilliant pillars surrounded him and tiny windows with moving figures, like watching a first-person viewpoint movie, were in the middle of the columns.

"I can see that you are fascinated with our technology, J'onn." Maxima's voice drifted into his ears and he smiled, turning to face the Queen of Almerac.

She was wearing a tight, form-fitting, blue and green dress that expressed her sensuality. Her red hair freely cascaded down her back and J'onn found himself wishing to twirl it through his fingers; in his eyes, she was an Avatar of absolute perfection, beauty. She stood before him, gazing up at him in amusement and J'onn realized that he was utterly enthralled with Maxima. Since he had arrived on Almerac over 2 months ago, J'onn found himself falling in love with the Queen. He had learned much about her during their walks through the garden. She was the only heir to her father and was considered a disappointment to everyone for her sex. Since her father's death, the Court had been pressuring her to marry to further Almerac's power.

In her father's eyes, the only potential she ever had was to bear strong children, furthering the bloodline. Procreation was emphasized in the Royal Family of Almerac. Every King would acquire a worthy female with strong genes to produce powerful progeny. For countless generations, the Kings of Almerac had sired stronger sons, increasing the power of their bloodline, until Maxima's father. He had begotten a daughter who, while was powerful for the blood in her veins, was a female and thus, a disgrace as a ruler.

J'onn didn't understand. Maxima was the Queen and, from what he had gathered, a kind and benevolent ruler. Although she did have moments of haughtiness that J'onn found as endearing as he did annoying, she was a great Queen and Almerac was lucky.

The Court still wanted her to marry.

She had told him that only someone more powerful than herself would ever be considered worthy of her hand. J'onn had been confused and asked her what she meant by 'more powerful.' To his shock, Maxima had then revealed that she possessed psychokinesis and telepathy. She then waved her hand and J'onn felt a force press against his body; it was strong. While he could have pretty easily fought it off because he grew up with a full-blooded Kryptonian, he allowed her to fling his body against the wall.

Then she had stepped closer and helped him up - he had been able to feel that her body's strength was on par with his own - staring into his eyes. He felt a presence try to enter his mind and while he knew that he could easily fend Maxima off, he allowed her entry, warding off things that he did not want her to see; she only saw what he wanted her to see. When she saw that he was from Earth, she pulled back in what looked like disgust if he wasn't mistaken.

He was certain that he wasn't.

"Yes, it is more advanced than Earth's." J'onn smiled down at Maxima, "It is impressive."

Maxima hummed, standing next to him. "Of course. There is nothing on Earth that could ever compare to Almerac; you hail from a very weak race. You're like ants compared to me."

J'onn minutely shook his head, wondering what she would do if he were to reveal his true identity, his heritage.

"The Rtylyzip, the windows that you see, are a creation of my father's advisor. Quite magnificent, to say the least, because they hold memories of all the former rulers of my people, my ancestors. What you see in the Rtylyzip are the memories from when they were crowned as King; they were taken after the ceremony and uploaded for the nobility to see."

J'onn frowned, eyes scanning the various Rtylyzip. "Where is yours? I don't see it."

"I don't have one." Maxima said quietly, "While I am Queen, the Court has the ability to match me in power in terms of governing. I have not... officially been crowned yet."

"What?" J'onn asked incredulously, turning to the object of his affections, "Why does the Court have that much power?"

"Because I am unmarried." Maxima sighed and her eyes grew dark, "Until I attain a worthy, powerful husband, who the people will accept as their 'rightful' King, I am limited in my power. Until marriage, I will not be officially crowned."

J'onn swallowed, trying to sound poised as he gave words to the question that had haunted his mind for the past weeks. "Who would someone worthy be? I know that you said someone more powerful than you, but are their examples of any races in the cosmos that would meet that criteria?"

Maxima laughed; it was a beautiful sound that J'onn wished he would hear more of. "Most definitely, J'onn, but sadly, the race that my father desired are no more." She turned to him and he found himself lost in her shining green eyes, "Have you ever heard of... the Kryptonians?" She asked, green eyes glowing with something.

He felt the sky fall drop on his shoulders upon her words. "No," he said numbly, staring into Maxima's eyes.

"Really?" She gasped, apparently delighted, "It's so rare to meet someone who remains ignorant of the Eradicators." Maxima smiled and her eyes became hazy, "The Kryptonians were the most powerful race in the universe, feared by all; in fact, my people worshipped them as gods. My father sought to arrange a union between Almerac and Krypton when he realized that I was to be female, a disgrace. A union between our two planets would be most delightful for my people. To have the blood of a Kryptonian in our bloodline - sensational! We would be hailed on par with Krypton, the Eradicators. Sadly, before I left my mother's womb, Krypton was gone, swallowed by the Source for he himself feared the Eradicators." Maxima slumped her shoulders, "I was regaled with the tales of Krypton, of its magnificence and I realized way back that the only man worthy of my hand, specifically who the Court and I would accept, was a Kryptonian."

"I see," J'onn whispered, shock dissipating into a rage; his fists clenched and it took all his willpower to refrain from lashing out with his telekinesis, destroying the hall.

His resentment for his brother had steadily grown the past weeks, culminating in the pique that flooded his mind. Now, that resentment had grown into full-on fury and hostility for his brother. First, Kal had found his mate, Diana and was planning to propose to her soon. Next, Kal had discovered the Genesis Chamber with countless Kryptonian embryos in the Scout Ship. Then, J'onn was scorned by the people of Earth because of Zod's actions, a Kryptonian who his brother was kin to. After that, J'onn had to flee Earth and he eventually found himself on the planet of his birth, Ma'aleca'andra. He had witnessed, through his own eyes, the horrors that the Kryptonians, the Eradicators had wrought on J'onn's race. His father, Jor-El - who was not his real father and saved him only out of pity - had been instrumental in the Manhunter's Eradication. A man who shared the same blood as Kal was responsible for J'onn being alone in the universe. Now, he learned that Maxima, who he was almost certain he was in love with, only viewed a Kryptonian as a worthy mate; no other race could ever compare to the mighty Eradicators.

"Are you all right, J'onn?" Maxima touched his arm and he nodded, finding that his anger cooled, simmering beneath a lid of willpower. "You're quiet."

"I was just thinking of how powerful... Krypton must be," he murmured, trying desperately to keep his words level and calm. "It seems more like a legend than fact," he knew better than anyone that that was a lie.

"It's not, but oh dear, I am late for a meeting with the Court." Maxima removed her soft, calming hand from his arm and J'onn ached for it to return, "I will meet with you later, J'onn. Okay? I do so cherish our conversations." Before he could respond, she swiftly sauntered out of the hall.

He stared with unseeing eyes at the Rtylyzip, thinking of Maxima's revelation. He wondered if he was to reveal the truth if she would find him worthy. Would a Manhunter be worthy of the Queen of Almerac? Compared to his brother, the Kryptonian, would J'onn ever be... memorable?

His fists clenched and he dimly noticed cracks appear in the floor, spider webbing through the pristine marble, foreshadowing something.

" _J'onn!"_ His head snapped to the right and he realized that the shout was in his mind. _"J'onn!"_ His eyes widened in shock and rage.

Kal.

Suddenly, a blur appeared out of nothing and J'onn felt arms grip him. He blinked and saw vibrant colors blur past him. Suddenly, it stopped and he stumbled into the cockpit of his ship. After recovering his balance, he whirled around.

His brother looked the same as always, looked like the godlike being everyone believed him to be despite wearing a plain plaid shirt and jeans. "What do you want?" His poise had evaporated and his own anger was there; he frowned at his brother harshly.

Kal blinked, bafflement spreading across his features. "What?" He asked in bemusement, "I teleported to your ship's location and Kelor notified me that you hadn't returned to the ship for over two, almost three months!"

"Why did you take me away?" J'onn snapped, turning away. "I have better things to do than speak with you."

"What? I thought that you had been captured! If I hadn't heard your two heartbeats, I would have panicked!" Kal threw his hands up, "What happened? What's wrong? Why are you acting so... strange?"

A bitter laugh escaped his lips and he turned back around, staring at his perfect brother. "What's wrong, you ask?"

"Yes! What happened?"

"Nothing except several revelations," he stepped closer, looking up into Kal's brilliant, star-like eyes. "Everything is wrong because of you and yet you expect a warm welcome?"

"I'm your brother..." Kal's face contorted into concern. "Did somebody hurt you? Why are you acting so... cold? I don't understand."

"I know the truth," he said brusquely. "You took everything from me."

Kal's lips parted and he looked incredulous. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about the truth!" J'onn's voice finally rose and he refused to look away from his brother's astonished features. "You have taken everything from me! Because of you, my people are gone; you eradicated Ma'aleca'andra! I had to leave Earth because of you! I'm alone!"

His brother's eyes darkened slightly. "I don't know what caused this, but I can help you. Just talk to me!"

"I am but you are refusing to listen! You did all of it! You are an Eradicator!"

"No, that was Zod and- "

"Our father?" He laughed without mirth, feeling his bitterness conform into fierce hostility. "The other Eradicators? Those excuses aren't going to fly any longer!"

Kal leaned back and he shook his head, shaking off J'onn's anger. "The sins of the father don't fall to the son. I don't understand, J'onn."

"That's no surprise, is it? You never understand! You stole my woman! My mate! I love her but you took her from me!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Kal exclaimed with a frown. "You... you're not making any sense. What woman? You fell in love with someone?"

"Yes, but you stole her from me!"

"What woman?"

"The one who you stole from me!"

"I don't know what you're talking about, J'onn! What has happened? Why are you acting crazy?"

"No! I'm not crazy. I have found clarity," he dimly realized that they had never argued like this before; this was different, more vicious and potent. "You are why I had to leave Earth!"

Kal's eyes narrowed and J'onn felt triumph spread; there it was. He wanted his brother angry! "That was both of us who were responsible for the Scout Ship sending the beacon. Don't blame that on me!"

"But you are why I had to leave! You are why I'm alone, now!"

"Don't you dare turn this on me!" The veins around his brother's eyes blackened; his eyes took on a red tint. "You are the one who left! You left me when I needed you most!"

"You slaughtered my people!"

"That wasn't me! That was- "

"You stole Maxima!"

Kal's fists clenched, "You're being completely unreasonable; your emotions have clouded your judgment! I didn't steal Maxima. I don't know who the hell that is!"

J'onn growled lowly and punched his fists forward, lashing out at his brother with a telekinetic blast. "Shut up! Leave me alone!"

Kal's eyes widened, too surprised to react as he was slammed into the side of the hull of the ship. "What are you doing, J'onn?" He was unfazed by the attack, unharmed, staring at him warily, angrily. "I need your help! It's why I came! Diana and I need your help! Lex has done things and humanity has…" his brother shook his head. "I need your help, J'onn, please. There's a threat against Diana."

"So Lex has finally snapped?" J'onn's lips pinched. "I knew that eventually, he would; there were always signs. He was too intelligent!"

"Will you help us, please? Diana's family will come for her and we need your help!"

"No," he turned away, anger brimming in his mind. "You have always needed my help, but no more. I'm done!

"Done?" Kal demanded lowly, "What do you mean done?"

"I don't want to be in contact with you. We're through; we were never brothers." J'onn felt victorious when shock and pain flashed in Kal's eyes; his brother would know how it felt! "I don't know why we pretended for so long."

"What the hell has gotten into you?" Kal's jaw dropped, "We... we can't just be through! We're brothers, no matter our different blood!"

"You're not my brother," he hissed. "I would loathe sharing blood with you, an Eradicator!"

Star-like eyes glowed red and it was like staring into the heart of two red suns. "No! You don't get to choose that!" His brother floated towards him and J'onn was suddenly reminded how incredibly weak he was in comparison to his divine-like brother; it only increased his fury. "You are who left! You've been gone for over two years, now!" Kal's face twisted angrily, contorting into a mask of raw pain and fury; it was exactly how J'onn himself felt. "If anyone should be... should be wanting to stop being brothers, it's me! I am who had to be without you, my own brother because you were too much of a coward to confront the problems!"

J'onn's own eyes blazed to life and he tried to attack his brother's mind but like always, it was impenetrable. "Fuck you!" He snapped and he suddenly realized that he had shifted into his natural form, green flesh proudly displayed. "There is no one in the universe like me because of you!"

They were inches apart and J'onn stared into his brother's blood-colored eyes as Kal growled; it was like their arguments from childhood and adolescence except so much more intense and overwhelming. "I am not to blame for the Manhunters' Eradication! If anyone is to blame, it's your people! They did something to get on the High Council of Krypton's radar!"

"Your people are monsters!"

Kal's eyes glowed brighter and the ominous sound of his fists clenching echoed. "At least that I naturally look human!"

Silence.

J'onn stepped back and the wounds of his childhood, of always needing to shape-shift to look like everyone else erupted in his mind. "You..."

The red glow slowly vanished from his brother's eyes, replaced by dawning awareness. "J'onn, I'm sorry. I- I didn't mean that. I would never- "

"You did mean it," he whispered hollowly. "When in anger, people are the most honest."

Kal swallowed, "I think that... that we should... cool off. Our tempers... battled fiercely. You should- you should go, J'onn."

"I should go?" The rage was suddenly back and this time, it was even worse. "Okay, okay, I'll... I'll just go. But first, I'm going to ask you a question and you're going to answer it." J'onn abruptly dashed forward and slammed into his brother; he shoved him into the wall, but of course, he knew that Kal didn't even feel it and that he had allowed J'onn to do it! " _Why_ would you act like such a jackass to Dad the day of the tornado? He did _everything_ for us! Do you not remember that? DO YOU NOT REMEMBER THAT?" He punched his brother's face and screamed in pain when his hand broke, but he kept punching, shape-shifting his body to force his cellular structure to adapt, forcing him to heal rapidly.

"Stop it, J'onn!"

"No! It's your fault! Everything's your fault! It's your fault that Mom and Dad are dead! Do you hear me?" J'onn lashed out with the biggest telekinetic blast that he had ever produced; it would have decimated the skyscrapers in Metropolis but it only stunned Kal for a moment and the ship wasn't even damaged. "IT'S YOUR FAULT!"

"I'm sorry, J'onn," his brother stared at him with wounded eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"You're sorry?" He demanded harshly. "Sorry isn't good enough, you lying bastard!" J'onn continued throwing punches and lashing out with all of his mental powers but Kal just stood there, allowing it all to happen. "Aren't you going to fight?"

"You're my brother."

J'onn screamed and his poisonous emotions brimmed over, erupting through his mind. "You're not my brother! You murdered our parents! FIGHT ME!"

He reared back and threw another punch that would have easily broken through titanium but Kal effortlessly caught it; he then tried to heave another punch with his other fist but his brother threw him back and J'onn smashed into the console next to Kelor, who had remained quiet and inconspicuous throughout the entire ordeal. He coughed and held his chest in pain and when he looked up, Kal loomed over him.

"I'm sorry, J'onn," his brother's face was blank, but he glimpsed the anguish peaking through. "I..." he felt remorse begin to overpower all of the rage and hurt at Kal's expression; he felt the dawning horror sweep through him, too. "I'll go..."

"Kal..." he whispered, leaning against the console in shock, holding his chest. "I... I..."

Kal slumped back, eyes pain-filled. J'onn wanted to die; he wanted Kal to hurt him - he deserved it! He felt frozen as he watched his brother robotically press the button on his belt. Kal vanished in a shower of blue sparks and J'onn collapsed to his knees.

What had he done? How could he do that to his brother, the only person who had always been there for him?

Tears began to well in his eyes and they spilled down his green cheeks; he was the true monster.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Bruce Wayne stared at his computer angrily, watching the simulation that he had created based on the data from the attack of Metropolis and from what he had gathered in his damned nightmare; it constantly haunted and motivated him so much more.

He observed the simulated Superman destroying the world; it wasn't too surprising. Within eight minutes of his attack, the loss of life was in the seven figures. Skyscrapers full of people, the White House, kingdoms, and castles were brought down in less time than it would take to say aloud. His fists clenched as the military's - from all across the globe - response was as swift as it was useless. Everything they threw at Superman was futile; nothing worked and it was terrifying. As a last-ditch effort, hydrogen warheads were detonated at Superman's location.

The simulation paused and Bruce's eyes widened and he leaned forward as it seemed that Superman was finally destroyed. Then the smoke cleared.

Superman was on his knees, fists gripping his flesh with such force that Bruce thought that he would watch the alien tear his legs apart. After several seconds, Superman looked up and Bruce felt dread curdle in his stomach. Golden lines of pure energy were shooting through Superman's body like veins themselves; the attack had made him so much stronger. Remembering his revelation about Superman's powers during the Kryptonian Invasion, he realized in horror that the gamma radiation from the hydrogen warheads had caused Superman's body to create that much more energy.

"Again, Master Wayne?" Alfred intoned dryly and Bruce spun around in his chair, trying to ignore the simulation. "I distinctly remember Ms. Kyle ordering you to 'stop watching that damned simulation,' I believe her words were, sir."

"That I did, Alfred." Selina sauntered into the cave and smiled down at him. "Bruce, why do you fight my advice, darling? You know that I'm always right."

His lips twitched and he played along. "You are always right, Selina."

Selina's face grew serious, "Then why do you keep disobeying my orders, Bruce?" She gestured towards the computer, "This is not healthy! Recently, this has become... fanatical, full of zealotry. I don't know what happened to cause this swift and worrying change, but you need to stop." She shook her head, distress carved into her beautiful features. "I know that you don't expect this from me, but you must stop. I have stood by your side since you rescued me from Waller and supported you as best as I can, but... I can't support this, darling."

" _What?"_ Bruce demanded, jumping to his feet. "Why?"

"At first, I had shared your fears of Superman, but your fears have recently turned into a maniacal obsession. Don't you see that, darling? I don't believe that Superman is our enemy; it's someone else."

His lips parted at her words and he wondered if Superman's brother, J'onn had returned to Earth to turn Selina against him. "You don't understand! I saw it, the future; it was a desolate wasteland because of Superman!"

Selina exchanged a worried glance with Alfred. "Bruce, you need to rest; you're delusional, darling."

"No, I'm not!" Bruce gathered all of the notes that he had produced since that damned nightmare; he had everything written out. "Wally showed me the future and he warned me; he said that I need to fear and stop Superman. He said that I was always right about him! I was there... and I... he was there, too."

"Who?" Selina stopped looking at his notes and handed them to Alfred, who looked very concerned; she did, too. "I don't understand, Bruce."

"Of course, you don't! You weren't there! Well, the future you was and she was pregnant with our... our son." Bruce swallowed and felt the horror of that experience to fill him; it strengthened him to do what was necessary. "Superman was there and he murdered you and our unborn son right in front of me; he is the monster and he must be destroyed before any of that future comes to pass."

"This is interesting," Alfred murmured, staring at his notes. "You say that Master West traveled back in time by means unknown- "

"And then Superman punched his fist through Wally's heart during his message," he finished darkly, watching as Selina brought her hand to her open lips. "I watched it happen."

"- and that you saw this... future because your mind was synced with your future self's."

"The memories of both timelines collided together," he pointed at the notes. "It's all there. What I saw wasn't just a dream; it was a prophecy. It was the actual future!"

"And how do you plan to stop that?" Selina demanded, "Maybe that's all true, what you saw, and maybe it's not. Darling, I can't imagine the horror that you experienced by... watching me... and... our son die, but you don't know if it's true."

"It is," he protested vehemently, beginning to become angry. "You didn't experience it, but I did. Trust me!"

"She's right, sir." Bruce turned to Alfred in disbelief, feeling betrayed. "All of the notes and equations on these papers will never confirm what you saw to be real."

"Fine, then look at the world, now!" He snapped, "Count the dead. While he has saved many, there are still thousands and thousands of people who have died because of him. Look at Congress! From everything that I've seen, Superman stood there while our nation's leading political figures and countless innocents were burned to ash!"

"They say that was Wallace Keefe, darling," Selina said gently, leaning forward to touch his arm. "Superman had nothing- "

"He could have stopped it!" When he saw that his words registered, he continued. "What's next? Millions? Billions? Our entire race? I saw the interview with Luthor, too, and my goodness, I may loathe that man, but that doesn't change the fact that he was correct. Superman is a threat to all of humanity; he's a death knell! What if the overprotective parent turns abusive? Superman has the power to wipe out the entire human race, including all of the Metahumans, and if we believe that there's even a one percent chance that he is our enemy, we must take it as an absolute certainty; we must destroy him."

Alfred placed the notes back on the table, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Any attempt to fight Superman would be complete and utter suicide. You could never win, but... you know this already. You've thought this through; you've been meticulous."

"He's been obsessed," Selina cut in with concern. "Even you must admit that, Alfred."

"Quite correct, Ms. Kyle, but... he is driven as much as he has been to find the Joker; it's important."

"Thank you," he muttered turning around. "Yes, I know that it's suicide to fight Superman, but I have acquired a xenomineral that I believe is capable of weakening Kryptonian cells. When I combine that with the Kryptonian, Zod's armor, I will be able to fight Superman on even ground. I will destroy that son of a bitch."

"And Diana? Wonder Woman?" Selina questioned, eyebrows raised, "What about her? From what you've told me, she's in love with Superman; they're lovers."

Bruce steeled his expression, "She was an excellent teammate and I trusted no one more in the League to watch my back; she's a good person, I've seen it. She is blinded by her love for Superman; she doesn't realize the monster that he will become."

"And this future that you keep referencing, how does Superman become this monster, darling?"

Forced to shuffle through the future Bruce's memories that he still possessed, he was bombarded with images. "Darkseid, a malevolent alien deity who was obsessed with Superman, killed the pregnant Diana. Superman... he snapped and went mad; he tore into Darkseid and became The Desecration Without Name."

Alfred pinched his nose, "And what is that, sir?"

"From what my future self knew, The Desecration Without Name was an ancient Kryptonian deformity with unfathomable levels of power capable of apocalyptic levels of destruction and death. I don't know how Superman... transformed into that monster but because of Diana's death, he does become the monster, the abusive parent. He killed all of us, all of the League and brought humanity to near-extinction. That future must be changed and the only way to definitively do that is to destroy him."

"And you're set on walking this path, sir?" Alfred didn't look as composed as he usually did. "You don't know if the xenomineral will weaken him; it could still be suicide."

"I can't watch you die, darling." Selina murmured, "Think carefully about this, please."

"I'm older now than my father ever was," he said softly, remembering his father's eyes glazing over on that damned night, how life fled the dark depths. He could still recall the sudden change, practically imperceptible, between life and death; it was a change and look that he had personally become more than accustomed with as he undertook his servitude to Amanda Waller because of that fucking button. "This may be the only thing that I ever do that truly matters."

Selina inhaled sharply and she stared at him; her lovely eyes pierced his own. "Raising Jason was nothing? Saving lives is nothing? Over a decade of fighting Gotham's scum has amounted to nothing? Stopping criminals is nothing?"

"Jason was our son and I failed him," he swallowed and the memories of the fucking clown raping his son flashed in his mind. "He was never nothing; he was everything. Criminals, though, are nothing; it has taken me a long time to see it, but they are."

Alfred raised a brow, "And is that why the Bat has begun killing criminals since the Kryptonian Invasion without Waller's button controlling him? The Daily Planet's, Clark Kent has been quite vocal about it."

"Yes," he met his stare unflinchingly. "Criminals are like weeds. When you pull one up, another will grow right where the old one was. Moreover, they're like the fucking Hydra from myth; you cut off one head, two more will rise and take its place unless you burn them, razing them as they should be. I have realized how weak I am in the presence of people like Diana and the League, in the presence of... Superman. My methods might have changed but my crusade has remained the same; it's about the future of the world, of humanity and its ability to survive. That's my legacy."

"Changed?" Alfred echoed, turning away. "Some changes, I fear, are not always wise."

"You don't agree with me?" He demanded, ignoring the hurt that he felt. "Why?"

"Superman is not our enemy," their eyes connected and a shared lifetime's worth of memories flashed between them. "I am unconvinced of this future that you claim to have seen. I am certain that Congress wasn't his fault; he's been nothing but good to humanity."

"Maybe now and today, but not in the future; it's already begun with Congress. We've seen what promises are worth, Alfred. How many good guys stay good?" Bruce breathed deeply to keep the images from that desolate future, the sight of Selina's head with a fist-sized hole in it, from overwhelming him. "Did you know that every painting in the history of man depicts demons and monsters as creatures that rise from hell beneath us?"

"Yes," Selina narrowed her eyes. "I stole many of them. What does that have to do with Superman?"

"The paintings were wrong. Devils and monsters come from the sky."

"No, sir," Alfred shook his head, looking disappointed. "You are placing your own delusions upon Superman. You're using your own rage and pain against him, placing your own beliefs onto him without knowing who he is. Nothing has changed."

Bruce frowned, "Everything's changed, Alfred. Men fall from the sky, the gods hurl thunderbolts, and innocents die."

"And believe me, sir, that's how it starts. I was where you are right now once. I know it well: the fever, the rage, the feeling of powerlessness that turns a good man cruel."

"Yes, but it turns a false god - Superman - into a monster, a nightmare when he is powerless to save Diana. He is an alien who can effortlessly burn everything that humanity has ever built down to ashes - just as those in the Capitol Building were turned to ash - and there would be nothing that we could do to stop him. I saw it in the future; he wins and it's an apocalyptic wasteland." Bruce saw that Selina was close to agreeing with him, so he continued. "Do either of you know the oldest lie in the world? It's that power can be innocent. If you give a man absolute power, he turns absolutely cruel. Look at human history; no one stays good in this world."

"And you, sir?" Alfred challenged, "Does that apply to you? What about those who do stay good?"

"There are none," Bruce clenched his jaw. "I have no power except for my own intelligence and wealth."

"Your mind has been set?" Selina asked rhetorically, "You're going to use that armor that you stole from the Kryptonian, Zod and wield the xenomineral to weaken Superman?"

"He's had enough chances and I saw the future; neither of you will change my mind."

"I no longer know if I want to," she murmured, looking unsure. "I need to think."

"And you, Alfred?" Bruce demanded, "What will you do?"

"Pray, sir, that you awaken from this enraged man before me."

He felt his composure crack and he snarled, whirling around; he pulled his cowl over his face and stalked towards the Batmobile. The rage was boiling, howling in his blood and it needed to be released, especially as the traumatic memories bombarded him.

Bruce would pay a visit to the Slums; he would gain his therapy, his reprieve.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Sitting in the Oval Office, Lex Luthor sipped his fine wine and allowed it to slide pleasantly down his throat. He reclined back in the magnificent chair that had belonged to all of his predecessors, the Presidents of the United States, and smiled devilishly. Soon, humanity would be saved because of him, because of his ability to do what others wouldn't. The world had slowly begun to realize how dangerous Superman's very presence was to humanity and it was all because of Lex's actions.

Ares had messaged him, revealing that his mutiny against Zeus had been an overwhelming success and the gifts that Lex had received from Athena's light would try to disappear soon; he would have to hold onto the light inside of him to keep them and have them become his own.

Lex's mother, Athena, who he had never met, had sided with the former King of the Celestials and honestly, the President of the United States couldn't care less.

Athena had never shown any regard for him and the only explanation that he had ever received from his father when he was younger was that she was some expensive prostitute who had always admired his father's intellect. Apparently, she had shown up one day with a baby infant who, after undergoing DNA testing, was determined to be the son of Lionel Luthor; Athena had wanted nothing to do with the child and after consideration, Lex's father had seen an opportunity for an heir. Lionel had never seen Athena again, but he had often said that Athena was the best fuck he ever had.

Shaking that image out of his mind, Lex poured himself another glass; it was most delicious. He had learned that he was just an experiment in his mother's eyes from Ares and while it was insulting, he understood the curiosity that must have plagued Athena for so long. He wasn't one to contemplate things that he couldn't change and so honestly, he couldn't really care that he was a designed experiment that Ares plucked from his mother's grasp.

None of that mattered when soon, his former best friend, Clark Kent, Superman was going to die and Lex would finally have his retribution on the lying bastard.

When he was younger, Lex had begun feeling crazy; his mind had constantly been on fire. He couldn't turn off his mind and he had resorted to knocking himself unconscious just to sleep peacefully. His father hadn't known what to do and became enraged when Lex himself started getting into a lot of trouble; it had been impossible for him to live normally. His very neurons were firing so fast that his mind constantly raced with thoughts and ideas; he had been an absolute mess.

So right before the seventh grade, his father had wanted nothing to do with him; he had been sent to live with his hillbilly second aunt in Smallville, Kansas. Lex had been furious and expected the 'trip' to only last about a month before his father wanted him back, but Lionel never wanted him back - at least not for many years. After swallowing that realization, after he had hit his lowest point with his racing mind, he had actually found himself enjoying the run-down, familial town. His aunt had forced him to interact, uncaring about his plight with his on-fire brain, by enrolling him in the middle school even though Lex had already possessed his first Doctorate degree and was working on his second Master's degree.

Lex had then encountered Clark and J'onn Kent, the fraternal twins who didn't look alike but also acted so similar sometimes.

It was then when he had realized that he wasn't the weirdest person alive. Lex had found them to be utterly abnormal, even more than he himself was; it was... a relief. Clark and J'onn never spoke to each other but they somehow seemed to communicate - and now, he knew that it was telepathy from J'onn - and only spoke when the teacher called on them; they had always known the answers to every question, something that had excited Lex. They had slowly adjusted each others' presences and became best friends, the Three Wierd Musketeers - as the other kids all called them; they were the only people with whom Lex had felt a true connection in his life. It was the first time when he never became bored with someone - even with his father - for they could converse with him easily. Lex hadn't needed to 'lessen' his word usage and knowledge to a child-like level; he had liked them against all of the odds, and they had reciprocated.

Clark and J'onn had understood him; they were frighteningly intelligent, too. Honestly, they had been wasted at that school and should have already possessed a Doctorate and Master's degrees like Lex himself, but their parents, the Kents refused, saying that social skills were more important. They had roped him into that philosophy and Lex had been at the Kent Farm almost every day; his social skills had finally flourished because of the Kents and he had learned skills to 'turn off' his mind from Martha Kent and J'onn. He had been normal with the Kents, probably the most normal out of himself, Clark, and J'onn.

Looking back now, he realized what had happened, how he had become so normal. It was a typical hierarchy of nature; he had instinctively competed for dominance against Clark and J'onn and lost. J'onn had then naturally lost to his brother and then Clark became the alpha while J'onn and Lex were the underlings. Lex hadn't stood a chance against Clark, against either of them, really; his old friend had been an invasive species - and J'onn, too - who transmuted the natural order, thus subjugating Lex. They had the potential to be eldritch abominations who would deem the foreign environment of Earth as malevolent and lash out, trying to change it to what their species needed to survive.

It was what the Kryptonian, Zod had tried to do before Clark had stopped it. But in spite of that, nothing changed. Lex had always known, deep down, that something was different, that the Kent brothers were... abnormal - even more than Lex himself.

It was the rumors that he had first about in Smallville. The one that Lex distinctly remembered hearing constantly from the other kids was how Clark dashed out of the classroom in grade school screaming so loud that about half of the winds shattered. Then J'onn had run after his brother and many of the kids who were there in that class that day swore on their grandparents' graves that J'onn had turned pure green for a moment - green flesh like all of the alien films that they had seen. Everyone, including the teacher, had followed J'onn out of the classroom because Clark had locked himself in the janitor's closet and refused to open it; the most whispered fact about that 'event' was that the teacher had desperately tried to open the door, shaking the doorknob but as a result, her hand was severely burned and required skin grafts. In the confusion, J'onn had disappeared and when Martha Kent had arrived at the school, J'onn was revealed to somehow have entered the janitor's closet, too.

Lex had always found the stories amusing and waved them off as basic adolescent rumors, but he had wondered inwardly when he had questioned Clark and J'onn about it once; their anxiety was apparent and looking back, he was amazed at how utterly ignorant he had been at that age - he wouldn't have accepted it if it weren't for those damned invasive species of the natural order!

Then when he had caught the flu and was stuck at his second aunt's house, the school bus had blown a tire and drove off of the bridge that led into town. Lex had been astonished and fearful when he heard the news and relieved that everyone survived; no adults talked about the infamous incident but the kids did. When Lex came back to school with Clark and J'onn, he had heard the other story how Clark had managed to escape before the bus completely sank and single-handedly pushed the school bus, a machine that weighed almost 20,000 pounds with passengers - out of the river. Then there was the fact that the kids said that when J'onn was under the water, he hadn't panicked at all; he seemed completely relaxed. The water around him had even turned to ice and Whitney swore that he saw J'onn walk out of the ice when the bus was back on land like he was a ghost, incapable of being touched.

Again, he had laughed at the stories but inwardly, once again, he had wondered. There were a lot of changes after that; the bullying mostly stopped for the Kent brothers and Pete Ross, the most notorious bully to Clark and J'onn, had acted a lot different, turning one-hundred-eighty degrees in the opposite direction. After the infamous incident, Pete Ross treated Clark and J'onn with absolute kindness and gazed at Clark in awe.

When high school began, it was Clark with whom Lex felt a true bond. J'onn was always so quiet and hardly ever spoke unless Clark had encouraged him. And for those years had been... happy; his father hadn't been pressing down on him with his fists and abominations for demands to slow his mind down. He had liked Smallville, especially when he had been able to calm his raging mind; there was something simple, yet so profound about the town that Lex had been fascinated with it during those years.

He had had friends and discovered what it truly meant to feel loved by parents in the Kents; they had... cared for him. After the initial distrust, Jonathan and Martha Kent had warmed up to him, treating him like he was their own son. In fact, it was the only time when he had felt a father's pride; it was when Jonathan placed a proud hand on his shoulder. Through their guidance, Lex had accepted that his father was a jackass who had never cared for him - and never would unless it benefited Lionel somehow. He had considered the Kents his true parents; he had thought himself their adopted son - he later learned that both Clark and J'onn were adopted and not even human but invasive creatures from different species - and had even called them 'Mom' and 'Dad' during those years. Then when his aunt had died, he had moved in with the Kents; they had all been... a family.

In that final year when he had attended Smallville, that was when everything began to... change, to... splinter.

Lex had begun to notice things that he had never actually thought about before. Strange things always happened around the Kent brothers and the two held their secrets tighter to their chests than even Lex himself; the lies began to pile up and Lex had ceased to accept them as he had for so long and resolved to discern the truth. An ugly confrontation had reared its head when J'onn had somehow discovered Lex's secretive investigating - which he now knew was from the telepathy - and the fracture began. Clark had desperately tried to keep the seams from unraveling but destiny had already spoken; it was just that none of them knew it at that point.

He had continued his investigations but eventually, he had foreseen the inevitable; he didn't want it to happen, not at all. Lex had valued his friendship with Clark and J'onn above all else, his familial-like bond with Jonathan and Martha. So to distract himself from investigating further, to save their friendship, Lex had dated Lana Land during that last year when he was in Smallville; he had even lost his virginity to her and she to him.

But eventually, all good things come to an end, and they did.

Right before spring break that year, Lex had decided to skip until the fourth hour - after all, he hadn't needed the education; already knew it all. When he had arrived at the school, he snuck through the building and heard voices from around the corner. He recognized them and he poked his head past the wall to see what Clark and J'onn were arguing about; their arguments, specifically during high school, had always been legendary.

It was after several moments of watching them furiously whispering to each other when he felt the shock; it had always been impossible to sneak up on Clark and J'onn ever since he had met them. They had been eerie in their ability to know who was around them at all times; he had tried previously many times to catch them off-guard but had never succeeded.

It was the first time when he had ever been successful because the two brothers, his two friends were unaware of his presence; they were distracted - by who or what, Lex still didn't know.

Lex had watched silently, gleefully as Clark and J'onn were uninhibited in their movements; they were always wound tight like a coiled spring about to snap, only relaxing slightly in the presence of Lex or the Kents. He had observed Clark's hand wrap around a brass door handle and squeeze in response to something that J'onn had whispered - a reaction of anger, Lex later realized. He had blinked as he watched the brass crumble like paper and heard the sound of crushed metal.

At first, he hadn't believed it; he had assumed he was in a dream.

But then his jaw had dropped as Clark cursed and his eyes glowed red - a demonic red color. Then beams of heat - he had been able to feel the overwhelming heat from where he had been standing and Lex could still dimly remember J'onn flinching back, green flesh appearing all over him just as the stories had said - had surged out of Clark's eyes against the mangled door handle; his hands had molded the scalding hot brass into a perfect door handle within seconds, blurring before Lex's eyes with precision he had never imagined.

Suddenly Clark had frozen and he had appeared right in front of Lex in a blink of an eye like a teleporter, eyes terrified. _"You saw..."_

Lex had tried to think of something to say as he leaned against the lockers in shock. _"_ _What...?"_

Clark's petrified gaze had turned back towards his brother and Lex had watched in disbelief as J'onn floated forward; he had been too shocked to do anything as they seemed to speak to each other without words - telepathy again, he later realized. J'onn had sighed heavily and turned to him with mournful eyes and Lex had been too slow to keep J'onn's sudden green hands from pressing to his temples.

Everything became black and when he had awoken, he had had no memory of the event; there was only darkness when he tried to think about that hour of his life.

His mind fought against it though, raging and racing; he had known that something had happened and that somehow, his best friends had been responsible for why he no longer held memory for an hour of his conscious life. So for the rest of that year, fury and distrust had risen in his gut; he had stopped talking with the Kents and Clark and J'onn, and moved out, instead staying at the Lang's house on the couch. His investigations returned with a vengeance and they were at the forefront of his mind; he had stopped going to school and focused solely on Clark and J'onn with obsessive intent.

He hadn't been able to find anything; he had many theories but no evidence. Knowing that he would go insane if he stayed in Smallville, Lex had left without a goodbye to anyone and returned to his bastard of a father; he had been forced to prove his competence and then Lionel had used him for business transactions, telling Lex to make it happen.

Less than a year later, Lex had heard from Pete Ross that the Kents, Jonathan and Martha, were killed in a tornado and that J'onn and Clark were all alone.

Lex could still remember the tears spilling down his cheeks as the news that the two people who were far more of parents to him than his own were had died. For hours, he had been in shock, mind drowned by the happy memories of simpler times when he was younger; before sophomore year of high school, everything had been perfect.

He had wanted that again, he had yearned for it with the lust of a horny teenage virgin.

After several weeks of gathering his nerve and composure, Lex had journeyed back to Smallville to reconcile with his friends. He had been fully committed to burying the hatchet and the resentment that he felt, ready to simply be there for Clark and J'onn. He wanted that familial bond back more than anything. When he had arrived at the Kent Farm, it was abandoned. Hank had met him in the yard and Lex had numbly entered the house, calling out for Clark and J'onn. He had waited for an entire week at the house for Clark and J'onn to return, but they never did.

Every morning when he had woken up, Hank had already been fed and given water. Lex had mistakenly thought the animal had killed a rat and drank from the river, but later when he realized who and what Clark was after recovering his memories, he knew that Clark - the invasive species, the alien, the Superman - had been at the house while Lex had waited for him. Clark could have easily spoken to Lex at the farm but never did; they could have grieved together but Lex was forced to do it by his lonesome.

Lex smirked darkly as he downed the rest of the wine; Clark and J'onn - but more specifically Clark because their bond had been stronger - would regret shunning him.

Glancing down at the speech that he had written and already memorized in the wake of the Congress bombing that he had discharged through Lane - who had contained people, such as Wallace Keefe who was so easy to manipulate, who would oppose his vision - Lex stood up and motioned for his advisor to gather the reporters.

Soon, the world will know the truth, the fraud that Clark - Superman - was. The days of him being hailed as a deity were over; his interview had begun it all, but now, this would be the final nail in the coffin.

"You flew too close to the sun, Clark," he whispered. "Now look at what that has wrought for you. They will see you, with their eyes and souls, for the faux hero and invasive species you are; they will see the blood dripping from your hands."

Lex Luthor was going to save the world! Soon, all of his goals would be realized and the keys to immortality would be his!

XxXxXxXxXxX

In a flash of blue sparks, Kal appeared in the living room, mind flooded with the terrors and evil in the Phantom Zone and even more specifically, J'onn's words.

" _You're_ _not my brother!"_ Orange eyes had stared at him furiously, green fists shaking in the effort to heal and attack again. _"You murdered our parents!"_ A snarl had formed on his brother's lips and his green flesh seemed to almost glow. _"Fuck you! I would loathe sharing blood with you, an Eradicator!"_ It was said with such finality, such absolute clarity that Kal knew it was the truth.

He felt broken, shattered, the foundations of his identity turning to liquid. How does one live with the truth that their brother, the one person who had always been there since he had been born hated you and wished to no longer be brothers? Kal couldn't ignore or forget the declarations and truths, the way how J'onn had furiously attacked him; he doubted that he would ever feel whole again.

Kryptonians, as a species, had no heart but Kal felt like something in his body had been brutally ripped out and trampled by bloodthirsty Rondors. Was it his soul? All living creatures had souls, right?

It didn't matter. J'onn had disowned him and Kal hadn't been able to think straight since.

Diana blurred into the living room in her nightgown. "What happened?" She demanded, staring at him in utter concern, "I cannot recall you ever looking so…" she placed a hand on his arm. "What is it? What's wrong? Did something…" she trailed off, full lips parted in dismay. "Is J'onn all right?"

Kal blinked and he swallowed. "He's... he's fine…" he said dazedly, mind reeling as his hearing began to intensify, to overwhelm him.

"Then what's wrong, Kal?" Diana said gently, soft hands keeping him grounded to her, his world. "I cannot help you if-"

The dam burst, "He hates me!" He felt the familiar power of his heat vision activate; his veins around his eyes were black, but it swiftly faded to be replaced by sorrow. "I tried to talk to him - he would have none of it! He said…" Diana's soothing, loving touch kept him from doing something that he would regret in sudden anger - destroying his childhood home as the memories flowed through his mind. "He- he hates me, Diana and I... I don't know why besides his outrageous claims that I- that I stole his woman. He said that because of me, he's alone in the universe!" He quieted, "He said that we aren't brothers; he called me 'Eradicator' and... and cursed me."

Silence except for the roaring heartbeat that thrashed in his ears as Diana's eyes narrowed into furious slits. "Kal," his eyes connected with blazing ones. "You must ignore your fool of a brother. He doesn't deserve you," she pulled back and a beautiful, deadly-looking sword materialized in her hands. "Give me your Phantom Drive device," she held out her other hand, eyes intently serious. "I need to visit J'onn and... teach him a lesson; he will regret what he said, believe me." Kal felt absolute love spread through his body and blurred forward, catching Diana off-guard. He dropped her on the bed and loomed over her, desperately seeking approval. "Kal!" Diana exclaimed, "What are you…" her eyes connected with his own and whatever she saw in their depths softened her features. "Oh, Kal," she breathed and the sword vanished; she maneuvered her hands down, proceeding to unbutton her gown from the top, the swelling of her ample breasts provocative, inviting.

Eyes glowed fiery red in arousal and Kal's hands urgently slipped the gown off Diana. Their eyes connected and she reached up, curling her fingers around the back of his neck, drawing his lips to hers. They kissed, Diana's lips parting, the soft, swollen flesh and moisture of her mouth igniting his arousal. Diana arched forward, pressing her body against his, pulling his hands to her full breasts. Kal groaned and pulled back, tearing out of his garbs, uncaring that they fell to the ground in tattered patches. Staring down at his lover, the way how she sensually presented herself to him, Kal felt a beast roar in his soul. After the utter horror that had happened in the past days, he wanted, needed the release of his sorrow and deep-seated rage.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Staring down at her, Kal realized that he would be nothing without her; she was his world. She laid on his chest, asleep, puffs of air tickling against his pectorals. He kissed her head gently and eased out of her grip. He pulled on a pair of black shorts and floated into the living room. He grabbed a beer from the ancient refrigerator and wished he could be affected by the alcohol. While Diana had alleviated the pain, Kal still felt broken by J'onn's words.

At the thought of his brother, Kal's eyes glowed red in sorrowful anger and he downed the entire bottle. He swiftly plucked another from the rack and lowered his tightly coiled form onto the couch.

He needed to get his mind off of his brother.

Kal picked up the remote from the coffee table and turned the television on. After several minutes, the program was interrupted with a 'breaking news' headline.

Lex appeared on the screen and dread bubbled in his gut, foreboding hissing in his ears; he watched with a broken soul as his old friend briefed the world in light of the disaster at Congress.

" _My fellow Americans,"_ Lex stared directly into the camera, _"We have all seen our world change greatly in the past years, and it is past time that we, as a country, changed with it. For the past two years, an alien - an invasive species who disrupts the natural order - has walked amongst our civilization. He has interfered in domestic and international affairs. He has disobeyed and ignored the treaties with other nations."_ Lex's eyes shined with determination and sorrow, understanding. _"He has murdered innocents."_

"Please," Kal whispered, staring at his old friend. "Don't do what I think you're doing."

" _Yesterday, a hearing was held in Congress to determine the truth about Superman's dealings with foreign nations. As many of you know, an African village was slaughtered by Superman in response to an unidentifiable dispute."_ Lex seemed to stare directly into Kal's pain-filled eyes; he saw nothing of his old friend, only the man he has become. _"I was set to appear before Congress but evidence concerning the investigation into Superman had been brought to my attention by numerous intelligent reports. As a result, I was unable to appear at the Capitol Building."_

Kal clenched his fists, shaking his head. "You're lying. You smooth-talker; your tongue is smoother than silk now, isn't it, Lex?"

" _Congress was destroyed in an explosion that killed hundreds of innocent Americans, among them many of my fellow politicians and leading figures of our country, but Superman was unharmed. The loss of life in this attack was devastating. Superman had the power to stop this cowardly attack but he chose not to because he sought to kill me; the investigation has been concluded and we have reached a decision."_

"No," Kal stood up, whispering uselessly. "Lex, please don't do this!"

" _Superman is a traitor to this country, to humanity itself; he has warped our existence with his presence and that must be rectified."_ Lex declared, voice conveying absolute honesty and truth. _"This invasive species has preached peace yet he has been a monster amongst us this entire time, lying to us. I hold myself personally responsible for this attack. If I had followed my intuition, Superman would have been captured by the government long ago. I ignored my feelings and as a result, the most precious gift of all has been snuffed out in far too many: life. I'm sorry, my fellow Americans and leaders. I failed you and I understand your sorrow and anger."_ Lex's eyes shined with false tears, _"As of this moment, Superman is the foremost enemy of our world. The United States has allied with all countries on Earth, including Russia, North Korea, China, Iran, and Syria, to end this threat to humanity. Superman was never a god, just an invasive species who has threatened humanity's existence, our entire hierarchy. If anyone knows of Superman's location, I implore you to report it immediately. Superman will face justice. I promise."_ Lex's lips twitched slightly and then the screen turned black, signaling the end of his speech.

Kal dimly noticed that he had crushed the remote and beer bottle as he fell to his knees in agony; his life had been systematically destroyed in the past seventy-two hours.

'Superman' was now public enemy number one and Kal could hear the cries of rage across the nation, demanding his capture; he had no idea what to do.

XxXxXxXxXxX

 **That's all for this chapter, folks! I hope you all enjoyed it and I would really love it if you guys left a review, tell me what you think!**

 **So, shall we discuss the action in this chapter? Too late, here it is:**

 ****Ares finally succeeded in his conquest of the throne of Olympus, killing the elder Celestials and Athena with the aid of his siblings and cousins. I did use some dialogue from** _ **god of war 3**_ **in the seizing of the throne. I know that many of the gods and goddesses who I used have different origins, different parents, but I had to change some of the origins for some of them; they were all the children of Zeus in Greek mythology but I changed their parentage because there are no Titans or other goddesses save for Hera, Demeter, and Hestia. Basically, all of the children who Zeus fathered in mythology from many, various women, gods, and Titans are all birthed by either Hestia, Demeter, and Hera because of this. Some of the less-known ones might have Poseidon or Hades as the father instead of Zeus but other than that, nothing is changed. I didn't want hybrids of a Human and Celestial to live on Olympus with Zeus and company. I only wanted full-blood Celestials to live on Olympus and Diana be the only living hybrid - except, of course, for Lex Luthor. Remember, Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia were the only ones who survived the Eradication of Supmylo; there are no other males or females with whom they could procreate. I didn't want Zeus to have all of the children because Poseidon and Hades would attempt to procreate, as well, and would more than likely be successful.**

 **I am** **using the Marvel Cinematic Universe's explanation for the Celestials because I enjoyed that; it was actually interesting. The Celestials'** **real bodies** **are their brains and they are hidden, protected from others trying to find them and kill them. Based on this, they can create Avatars that hold their power and personality that are directly linked to their 'brain'. Basically, if you destroy the 'brain', you destroy the Celestial. If you only kill the Avatar, the Celestial will reform after some time and be unharmed.**

 **Okay, Aphrodite in this story is the daughter of Zeus and Hera. I know that in the myths, she is hailed as the daughter of Ouranos, growing from his testicles falling in the sea after the Titan, Cronus cut them off, or the daughter of Zeus and a Titaness named Dione, but I couldn't do that for obvious reasons - because Dione doesn't exist and neither does Ouranos. Aphrodite then, sometime in the past, slept with a man and Hippolyta was the result of that union. As a result, Hippolyta was half-Celestial and contained the blood of Zeus already in her DNA because Aphrodite is the daughter of Zeus in this story. When Zeus fathered Diana through Hippolyta as his weapon, his blood combined with the blood, that was already his, in Hippolyta to create Diana - a powerful Celestial hybrid who contains small traces of Kryptonian blood as well from the Amazons tracing back to Kara Zor-El.**

 **If you are interested in the genealogy of Diana, think of it this way. There is a genetic term called '** **hybrid breakdown** **.' I'm going to keep it simple in my explanation: let's say that Aphrodite has two pure strains of red, whereas the father of Hippolyta - an un-named, male Amazon, so this was also before there were only females - has two pure strains of green. (They would have a lot more but remember, we are keeping it simple.) When the two reproduced, Hippolyta was the result and she had one strain of red and one strain of green - a hybrid. Problems begin to arise when the hybrid - Hippolyta - reproduces; the red and green strains line up to crossover and the resulting single strand that goes into the child and its genes become a** **mixture** **of red and green. Diana, theoretically, could literally have a gene from Hippolyta's parents - I.e. Aphrodite and thus Zeus - and one from the male, an Amazon who was a descendant of Krypton through Kara Zor-El. As a result, it is possible that the resulting gene** **does not work** _ **.**_ **If Hippolyta - the Celestial hybrid - bred back into a single, pure Amazon bloodline, everything would correct itself. Instead, she reproduced with Zeus - a pure Celestial bloodline - and as a result, it corrected itself, as well. (By the way, this process is called '** **introgression'** **\- really fascinating stuff.) As a result,** **Diana possesses far more traits of being a Celestial than being an Amazon. This is why it was so apparent in her childhood to her Amazon sisters that she was different. Remember, Hippolyta and Lex Luthor are plain, regular hybrids who seem mostly normal to everyone else of their race, whereas Diana is not. She is** **literally** **more Celestial than Amazon; she is basically another Zeus in terms of genetics and actually more powerful in my opinion because she is not hindered by the 'brain' as her father was.**

 ****Kal visits Congress and the bombing scene happens just as it did in** _ **Batman v Superman**_ **. I did add the 'ticking' sound because I honestly didn't like how Kal didn't have an** **inkling** **that something could happen in the movie. Because he thinks the best of people before the worst, Kal doesn't even consider the notion that Wallace Keefe is sitting on top of a massive bomb that was capable of destroying the Capitol Building.** **He wasn't able to save many people because his hearing was** **overloaded** **from the explosion that happened right next to him. When humans hear a gunshot next to their ear, they most likely become deaf or extremely limited in their auditory functions on that one side. Now, here is an alien that can hear** **everything** **and the sound of the bomb exploding near him utterly destroyed his hearing - that was the pain that exploded in his mind. After several seconds, Kal's ears were completely healed but by then it was too late; the Capitol Building was destroyed.**

 ****After the bombing, Kal visits Diana and feels utter guilt and basically, wants to die. In** _ **Batman v Superman,**_ **Lois was unable to break through to him but Diana can keep Kal from flying off to sulk. He breaks down and sees his parents, the Kents. A lot of people, with whom I have spoken,** **hated** **the scene on top of the mountain that saw Kal speaking with Jonathan Kent. I absolutely loved the scene. Kal has no one to turn to except Diana and she is as inexperienced as he is. Neither of them have living** **parents** **\- unless you count Zeus, who is a very poor example of a parent - who can teach them the skills necessary to combat the overwhelming guilt and horror. Jor-El is gone and so are the Kents and J'onn. Kal was able to have a moment with Jonathan Kent, whether it was a memory or some kind of vision, it doesn't matter. Kal was going through a** **very hard time** **at that moment and Diana was barely able to keep him together. Seeing his father and hearing his words, Kal's hope was restored - in the world and in himself. Jonathan basically told Kal that even if you do a good thing, bad things still happen. That's life. It happens.**

 **A lot of people didn't like the Kents in** _ **Man of Steel**_ **and** _ **Batman v Superman**_ **but I thoroughly disagree with that opinion. When Jonathan Kent, in** _ **Man of Steel**_ **, tells Clark that MAYBE he should have let the kids on the bus die, it's because** **he doesn't know.** **Jonathan Kent didn't know the answer to Clark's question. He was a father who could not comfort and advise his child. Jonathan's actions show that he was doing his best to prepare Kal for the harsh reality of the world; humanity can suck sometimes and Jonathan knew that. The public would fear and attack Kal if his existence was revealed and Jonathan was trying to prepare Kal for that. His quotes in BvS show that he was teaching Kal that everything he does, no matter if he has good intentions, will have unforeseen consequences because Kal, in spite of common belief, is not a god. In my opinion, THAT is true parenting.**

 **In BvS,** **Martha Kent tells Kal that he doesn't need to save the world or be 'Superman'. He can choose to be a normal guy and live his life however he desires to. "You don't owe this world a thing… You never did."** **That** **is absolutely** **beautiful** _ **.**_ **Kal doesn't owe the people of Earth anything. He doesn't have to be their knight in shining armor or 'Superman'.** **He chooses to be that hero and he** **could just as easily choose not to. The people of Earth feel entitled to the idea of 'Superman' and that he** **must** **be what they make him when, really, it's the opposite.**

 ****Zeus appears before Kal and Diana! He reveals the history of the Celestials and how they traveled to Earth, how the Greek myths were born. He revealed his plan to conceive Diana as his weapon against the younger generation and the reason why Ares slaughtered the Amazons. The** **only** **reason why Ares didn't murder Diana like the other Amazons was that he desired her power for himself. He wanted the power that Zeus conceived to be rid of Ares and the others to join him and destroy Zeus. Also, Ares was not stupid. He knew that if he killed Diana, Zeus' daughter, he would face the wrath of his father and would most likely be killed.**

 ****J'onn is still on Almerac and is infatuated with the Queen, Maxima. (I know that some of you do not like that decision and I struggled with that conclusion but ultimately, I decided to stick with it.) On Almerac, the Royal Family is a patriarchal bloodline. Only males were seen fit to rule and females like Maxima were seen as a disgrace. Maxima is very powerful and J'onn is as well even though he hasn't ever really been pushed to his limits. (Lifting entire skyscrapers with his mind during Zod's attack was the closest that he had ever been.) In my mind, they are equal in power. They are both psionics and both strong though not as strong as Diana and Kal. Maxima does hold the arrogance that she holds in the comics. When reading J'onn's mind, she saw that he was from Earth. Her reaction was one of disgust because an earthling was** **weak** **and unworthy. (J'onn only showed her what he wanted her to see. He is powerful; he has played mind games with Kal, a Kryptonian that has incredible telepathic defenses and fine-tuned his craft until he has advanced to a mastery of telepathy that has never been witnessed before. Maxima, while a strong telepath, has nowhere near that amount of control over her abilities.) She is infatuated with the Kryptonians because she was regaled with the stories of their power while she was growing up.**

 **J'onn, understandably, is upset because of that revelation and Kal arrives at the** **worst possible** **moment. If you thought that both brother's reactions during their quarrel were extremely out of character, I disagree. Both of them were** **raw** **. Their emotions had gone haywire and they** **could not** **think logically. Their vision of reality, specifically J'onn's, had become skewed enough for him to attack Kal in absolute, poisonous rage. He has always been weaker than Kal. He cannot hold a candle to Kal in terms of sheer, raw physical power. He was scorned on Earth because of his appearance while his brother wasn't derided as much because he looked human. For two years, he wandered the universe until he eventually stumbled upon Ma'aleca'andra and saw, through his own eyes, the remnants of his civilization; the Eradication of the Manhunters from Ma'aleca'andra. The Kryptonians wiped out J'onn's home… his people. Kal is all that remains of the Kryptonians and J'onn's anger shifted towards his brother. He brings up their parents, the Kents because** **that** **is something that J'onn has always felt anger over. The last time they were all together before the tornado, Kal was acting like a complete asshole. The last** **memory** **J'onn has of the four of them together was tainted because of Kal. He has never told Kal that and has ignored the problem which makes it that much worse. Stuffing your feelings** **never** **works and eventually, something will happen that bursts the dam that holds all those negative emotions. Needless to say, J'onn unloaded** **a lot** **onto his brother at the worst possible moment.**

 **Kal had been hurting ever since J'onn left Earth and as a result, became somewhat resentful over his brother's decision. Both brothers' ugly sides rose up and made their presence known potently. Things were said and J'onn pretty much disowned his brother multiple times, declaring that they weren't brothers, immediately regretting his harsh words to him but it was too late. Kal teleported away while J'onn was left to stew in self-loathing.**

 ****Bruce Wayne was finally confronted by Selina and Alfred - double team! - about his crusade against Kal. They desperately attempted to break through his psychotic viewpoint but it was ineffective. I used some of the dialogue from Lex Luthor in** _ **Batman v Superman**_ **for Bruce. Personally, I liked and also disliked BvS' Lex Luthor and I thought that some of those lines fit in perfectly with** **this** **Bruce Wayne. Bruce is constantly haunted by the Knightmare in which he observed the future that Earth was headed towards. In that future, Kal was a monster; he had no anchor to Earth since Diana died and J'onn hadn't returned. Bruce is obsessed with killing Kal because he saw Kal murder Selina and his unborn son right in front of Bruce just like his parents and Jason were murdered right in front of him. That triggers flashbacks and those feelings will return, except this time, they are increased tenfold. It honestly really makes sense for a man as mentally disturbed as Bruce Wayne.**

 **Honestly, in my opinion, Bruce Wayne/Batman is as insane as the Joker - at least, he's pretty close. Think about it: the Joker dresses up like a clown and runs around shooting/stabbing people in order to prove that the world has no rules, right? Well, Batman dresses up like a bat and runs around at night beating/maiming people in a never-ending, self-restoring war on crime. The Joker took a lovestruck girl under his wing and had her dress up like a harlequin to help him in his crimes. Batman took multiple lost boys - and a couple of girls, too - under his wing and had them dress up as brightly-colored birds in order to aid his war on crime. The Joker feels an obsessive compulsion to kill as a result of trauma. Batman feels an obsessive compulsion to save lives as a result of trauma. After all, what kind of sane guy dresses up like a bat and jumps off of rooftops?**

 **Nobody, at least to my knowledge, has really acknowledged that everyone in the Batman universe is insane. Untreated, indulged, and perverted mental illness is the central thread in the entire Batman universe and its pantheon of villains, in my opinion. The Joker? He's a complete, certifiable lunatic. The Riddler? He's a delusional narcissist with a god complex. The Penguin? He's a psychotic schizophrenic with a Napoleon complex. Poison Ivy? She's a delusional psychopath with genocidal ambitions. Gotham itself is a playground for the insane and seems designed to amplify mental illness. It's a fatalistic version of Manhattan - filthier and darker. But quite possibly the biggest lunatic of them all is actually Batman himself, a man who never got over seeing his parents gunned down before his eyes as a kid. He is now a man who then copes by dressing up in a ridiculous suit, standing on top of buildings and overlooking the city at night, and then beating up thugs, rapists, killers, and supervillains as part of some sort of self-medicated therapy.**

 **In this story, Bruce Wayne has been broken by Amanda Waller and everything that he has experienced - such as the Joker raping and then killing his son, Jason Todd. He has broken and has thus killed, which I think is so much more realistic than his outrageous 'code,' but that's beside the point. Bruce has been flattened out; he has no humanity nor faith in the good remaining. He is lost and the only thing that makes sense at this moment is that Superman will bring an apocalyptic future; his future son and wife/lover will be murdered by the alien - just as Jason was by the Joker. He is a lunatic who is also extremely high-functioning, so I wanted that to be apparent because that is a realistic depiction of Batman, in my opinion, and it was shown in _Batman v Superman_ , although not to the degree that I'm doing it, or what I will do.**

 **I thought that BvS was so excellent for Batman and it actually made me like Batman again, mostly. In the movie, he follows a philosophy; he constantly talks about trying to define his own meaning in his life in an irrational world, presenting the world around him as meaningless and one in which he defines his own meaning. Throughout BvS, he emphasizes his futile actions and his existentialist views: "This may be the only thing I do that matters", "Criminals are like weeds, Alfred. Pull one up another grows in its place", "I bet your parents taught you that you mean something, that you're here for a reason. My parents taught me a different lesson, dying in the gutter for no reason at all." And due to everything that happened - Robin's death, Wayne employees' deaths, parents' deaths - he sees his actions and the world around him as pointless and irrational. With the arrival of Superman, Bruce sees not only another meaningless tragedy in the Battle of Metropolis but also sees what he thinks is a threat to his existence and existentialist view. His view is also reflected in where he loses his prior moral rules and starts to kill and brand criminals. He has fallen and is no longer holding himself to an objective moral standard as he had before. The film shows Batman's hypocrisy as he criticizes Superman for some of the very things that he does, showing that any of Batman's attempts at moral judgments conflict against his existentialist view, as existentialism assumes that there are no objective moral values and that people create their own meaning. In fact, Batman's views through most of the film are criticized by characters around him and by the film itself.**

 **Then, by the end of the film, his journey is wrapped up beautifully; he changes to a view of moral realism. After seeing and being on the battlefield fighting with a messenger of objective good in Superman against a messenger of objective evil in Doomsday, Batman comes into the light both symbolically and literally. In the last scene with Lex in prison, Batman refuses to kill or brand Lex when Lex definitely deserved it. He gives a speech to Wonder Woman where he affirms objective moral duties. He says: "I've failed him in life. I won't fail him in death." By saying that, he recognizes that what he has done through most of the film was wrong and that he is trying to move forward and do better. He says that as a statement, inferring what he did in the past was morally wrong and a failure to the morally good Superman. Then Batman says some really good lines: "Men are still good. We fight, we kill, and we betray one another. But we can rebuild. We can do better. We will. We have to." Bruce states here that rebuilding and doing better is morally superior to killing, fighting, and betrayal. He also says 'We have to' meaning that he thinks that people have a moral duty to fulfill objective moral values and duties, clearly illustrating his new view of moral realism. This is a clear contrast to earlier in the film when he didn't think that he had this duty, showing that he has completed his arc.**

 **Now, there is no way that I can write such a compelling arc like that because I will be changing quite a few things in this story because things and backgrounds are different and because I'm nowhere near as good a writer as Terrio and Goyer and Snyder are. Also, those realizations about Batman came from a lot of watching and reading what others have, too, realized. Above, it is an amalgamation of all of that, taken from various sources.**

 **In the simulation that Bruce created, which is based on the** _ **Batman v Superman**_ **prequel comics, Hydrogen warheads are detonated on Superman. Just as he thinks Supes is dead, Bruce watches as Superman becomes stronger. The reason why the Hydrogen bombs made him stronger was that of the amount of radiation - which is the same as how nuclear fusion powers the sun except even stronger because it is gamma radiation - that close caused his body to create more energy until he was brimming with absolute power.**

 ****Lex Luthor is back and we learn of** **his** **reasons for hating Kal. A grudge that left its mark on the President because teenagers are** **so stupid** **sometimes, Lex included. In my mind, Athena is curious about humans with a brilliant mind and Lionel Luthor was definitely one of these individuals, so she would be willing for him to be part of her experiment. Eventually, Lex was born after Athena masqueraded as a prostitute to get close to the illustrious billionaire, Lionel Luthor. I know that Athena was one of the virgin goddesses in mythology, but I've changed a few things up. She,** **by no means** **, is a whore or sleeps around with anyone with legs; she simply wanted to speak with Lionel Luthor. That was the only way to truly attract his attention because he was of the elite. A regular woman wouldn't grab his attention, but a prostitute who he ordered would.**

 **Lex stays in Smallville for four years before shit hits the fan. He truly cared for the Kents and Kal and J'onn. They became the family that he had never known he yearned for. Eventually, he became suspicious of Kal and J'onn because of their blatant lies and after a while, witnessed Kal destroy a door handle and repair it using his heat vision. J'onn then erased the memory from Lex's mind but when Ares revealed himself, Lex learned how to draw on Athena's light and as a result, the erased memory resurfaced and he knew the truth. In case you were wondering, all of Athena's previous experiments died young because of their racing mind and they probably killed themselves. Lex was getting that way and was sent away by Lionel Luthor who didn't want to deal with his 'crazy' son. Lex was able to cope and find skills necessary to deal with it thanks to J'onn and Martha Kent - and maybe J'onn used his telepathy to soothe. Who knows?**

 ****Kal arrives back to Earth just in time to watch Luthor's speech about his capture and execution. Superman has just become public enemy number one. Boy, Kal has had the worst day imaginable. Thankfully, Diana, who is understandably upset, is there to ease his sorrow, his burden. The action intensified and Kal and Diana are going to have their hands full!**

 **Well, that's everything; I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Please leave a review and tell me what you think about it! I would really appreciate it!**

 _ **Stay Safe  
**_ **ButtonPusher**


	10. Chapter 9

**Thanks for all the reviews! I love hearing all of the feedback from you guys! It makes my day every time I see a new review!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Justice League or any of the characters associated with DC Comics.**

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Staring at the glowing green rock that would triumph over Superman, Bruce felt the beginnings of uncertainty worm its way into his mind. He honestly had no idea if the substance that he had christened as 'Kryptonite' would harm the yet-to-be monstrous alien. For weeks, he had studied the foreign object and was utterly amazed at how dense it was. It was harder than diamond and it took the strongest laser in the world, a two petawatt pulse - Bruce had procured it from a Japanese scientist for millions of dollars before Jason was killed - that lasted for several seconds, to carve the Kryptonite into the spear tip that would pierce the alien flesh. The gas grenades that he had created were simple enough and required minimal effort on his part.

Based on the memories that he still retained from that damned nightmare, Bruce was able to deduce that Kryptonite could harm Superman; he theorized, as he had said to Alfred and Selina, that the xenomineral was capable of weakening Kryptonian cells _._ After all, why else would the men in the nightmare betray him? Superman must have known about the Kryptonite shipment and threatened those rebel men and women, ordering Loyalists to conceal themselves as rebel soldiers to betray the future version of Bruce.

It gave him hope.

Without the Kryptonite, Bruce knew that there was no chance that he could ever even hope to triumph over Superman _._ If the alien wanted to, he could effortlessly kill Bruce, but besides the Kryptonite, Superman had one major weakness. Deep down, the yet-to-be monstrous alien believed that he was a good person even though he wasn't. Whereas, deep down, Bruce already knew that he wasn't but was prepared to do what was necessary to keep that apocalyptic future from coming to pass.

Diana might believe him to be a monster for what Bruce will do, but only history itself would be able to judge him for his actions. Bruce might be the villain of the story to Diana, but he knew that the world would rejoice because of his courageous strength, of his audacity to challenge the false god and keep that future from happening. There were heroes in evil as well as in good; he was doing what was necessary for humanity to survive.

"Haven't changed your mind?" Selina's dry voice resonated in his ears and he saw her descend down the steps.

"No, I don't know why you even ask," he chided. "You should know that."

"I do," Selina leaned against the table, staring at him with shining eyes. "For the past weeks since you revealed this future that you claim to have seen, I have allowed you to work and work, but it feels that this is more than work. This feels like revenge, Bruce. You still don't know if that future was real. You could have hallucinated the entire thing, darling; you are sleep deprived."

That caused his anger to swell and he stalked closer. "I'm doing what is necessary. You might think that it is evil, but it is a necessary evil."

"I never said that it was evil," she stared up at him, hands folded in front of her stomach - it reminded him further of the unborn son who he had lost because of Superman! "Most necessary evils are far more evil than necessary, Bruce."

"Don't be ridiculous; that's bullshit _._ "

Selina's eyes gained a determined gleam. "I think that I know what this is all about, darling."

Bruce frowned, "What are you talking about?"

"It wasn't me who said it was evil, it was you; your mind went there without help. You know what you're doing is wrong, but... you don't care."

"Fine, I know that Superman hasn't turned evil yet, but he will; it's only a matter of time. I saw it with my own eyes. I must destroy him before it starts."

"No, darling," her eyes were gentle. "You're blaming Superman for the world's problems, your own personal problems when they aren't his fault. That's what most people, including Luthor, are doing. I think that you have begun to doubt this path, your revenge, and are seeking ways to justify your beliefs."

"No," he shook his head, refusing to listen to the small voice in his head that said she was right. Instead, he let the memories of his nightmare flood his mind, fortifying his resolution to murder Superman. "You saw what Luthor said in that interview. All of it was true! Look at what happened at Congress; the end has already begun and I must stop it."

Selina raised a brow, "You're listening to Lex Luthor, now? I had never imagined."

"I may hate him, but I hate someone far more now. Superman is the greatest threat."

"You're not seeing clearly, Bruce! That's a problem that you must deal with; your mind has... it needs time to rest."

"No, it doesn't," he snapped. "That's not the problem, that's the least of all problems. In the world, there are problems filled to the brim. The biggest one: the problem of evil and absolute virtue in the world. Look at the world because of Superman! So many dead- "

"But so many saved, Bruce."

"Remember what Luthor said? Superman can never be neutral because each life that he saves is one life that he doesn't. That is the truth. In spite of everything, there are still people who don't see it! They view him atop of everything and everyone else; him above all! They haven't seen the future, haven't seen what he will do. They worship him as a god, Selina," he shook his head in disgust. "Horus. Zeus. Jehovah. Apollo. Odin. Pluto. Ra. Kal-El. They're all the same in the world's eyes. None of them give a duck's fuck that he will destroy this world; he's actually Loki, the harbinger of Ragnarok, the end of all things. Superman will do exactly that, bring the end of humanity! I've seen it happen, but they don't. I know the truth and I am doing what I must."

Selina gripped his arm, "No! This future about Superman wasn't- "

"It was real!" The memories bombarded him, "I know what I saw, Selina. It was the actual future. Nobody, not even Luthor, understands and they never will unless I force them to."

"Superman might be a god in the sky with unimaginable strength, but he has done nothing, including Congress and the African village, to be put down like a rabid dog. You're basing your revenge on a delusion!"

Bruce's jaw clenched, teeth angrily grinding against each other in frustration; scarred, beaten hands clenched tightly. "No, you don't understand. You... you didn't see it, see the nightmare, the utter desolation that had plagued Earth, our very futures because of Superman; he will become the monster beyond all nightmares. You don't know!"

"How can I know that?" Selina's gaze was concerned and sad. "What you saw... it wasn't real. I thought long and hard about it, but there's not enough evidence. Your mind is fractured, darling, and it must heal. You need to rest and stop."

"Superman murdered you and our unborn son right in front of me! He then murdered the future Wally - just like Jason and my parents!"

Selina's eyes widened with dread. "Superman didn't kill Jason, darling. The... Joker killed our son. Joe Chill killed your parents, not Superman."

"He could have stopped them both!" He snapped, "You said that he was a god in the sky, but no god in the sky intervened to deliver Jason and my parents from the scum of our world." When he saw tears well in her eyes, he inhaled slowly. "No matter what I say, you won't understand because you weren't there; you didn't see it. The future that I saw, it torments me with continuous, flashing images before my eyes. It haunts me as much as Jason and my parents' deaths - it's a fucking trifecta, now. Because of my efforts, they will finally comprehend what I knew all along; the world will be rid of that duck-fucking Superman."

"So, that's your decision?" Selina's voice was filled with sorrow and resignation. "You will battle him?"

"Yes, and I will destroy him."

"I cannot support you," she shook her head, hastily wiping away the stray tears that spilled down her cheeks. When she looked up, her eyes were rimmed red. "You are going to... to murder a good person, darling. You would be like Joe Chill and Joker, taking someone away from their family. Think about Diana and Superman's brother, J'onn. They would feel what you felt when your parents died."

Bruce narrowed his eyes, "I don't give a fuck what Diana or J'onn think; they wouldn't know. They know nothing; neither of them know true loss. They don't know what it's like to watch your parents die. Selina, you might not understand my reasoning and the future that I saw, but trust me, please, as you always have. Stand by my side and help me."

Silence.

Selina stared up at him with unreadable eyes and Bruce had the ridiculous thought that she was going to refuse. After several tense seconds, Selina wrapped her arms around him and squeezed tightly. "Okay," she murmured against his chest and closed her eyes in weariness. "I don't want to keep fighting."

The utter relief that flooded his mind was eye-opening; he now had his lover on his side. Superman's reckoning would come to fruition; the false god would be destroyed to keep that hell-like future from happening.

 _Beep. Beep. Beep._

Bruce's eyes snapped open and he whirled his head towards the computer. It flashed green and purple in sporadic bursts and Bruce wasn't even sure if his vision was correct. _S_ urely, it couldn't have finally happened, right? Were his eyes deceiving him?

"Darling, is that the…?" Selina pulled away and stared at the flashing screen in wide-eyed disbelief. "Is it?"

He swallowed thickly, "Yeah, it is," he refused to blink, unwilling to watch this gift slip through his fingers. "The... the computer has finally located the Joker and Quinn." Quickly, the shock soon abated and evolved into pure euphoria. because finally! For years, he had searched for that fucking bastard and had always hit a dead end. After he had killed Waller, he was able to create the Joker's algorithm based on her notes. Jason, his son would finally be avenged and Bruce would happily send that pathetic, pile of evil, death-worshiping garbage off to hell! He could finally rest in peace knowing that Jason's killer was finally dead.

"Avenge Jason," Selina stared into his eyes with an intensity that rivaled the sun; quiet, intent hatred shined in her beautiful eyes. "Make sure that piece of shit is sent off to hell."

"I'll make sure of it," he brought her lips to his own, relishing the softness of the full flesh. "We will finally be able to heal," he whispered and kissed her again softly. "I promise, it will be done. I'm going to do what fat Henry did with Thomas More. I'm going to cut off the Joker's fucking head, and instead of the London Bridge, I'll jam it on top of Gotham's Clock Tower as a warning for all: nobody is safe from the Bat and that his methods have changed."

Bruce squeezed her hands before letting go and stalking towards his Batmobile; his mind cleared of any distractions that would hinder his newest, greatest mission. His thoughts centered solely on the Joker; nothing would ever be more important to him than this night, the night when Jason would finally be avenged.

He hopped into the vehicle and it roared to life, engine shaking the earth as it tunneled through the underpass that led to the outer world, away from the realm of his home. His eyes darted towards the screen as he stared at the giant skull that showed the Joker's location and his lips curled into a maniacal leer. After several miles, he took a sharp turn and entered into a dark, sparsely inhabited alleyway. He pulled himself out of his seat and hopped out, glancing at the several men lurking in the shadows.

After several seconds, they ran in fear and Bruce felt triumph; tonight was the night when things would change.

He fired his grappling gun at the top of the many-storied building and within seconds, was feeling the wind whip across his lower face, freezing away any stray fears that plagued his mind. He landed at the top and pulled out his rifle and stared through its scope a little over a mile across the abandoned pier. After several seconds, he saw military officers decked in the familiar camouflage uniforms. They were carrying powerful weapons and if he weren't mistaken, models that Bruce himself had never seen before.

Where was the Joker?

He turned slightly, observing the movement at the peer and saw several muscled henchmen exit an eighteen-wheeler truck and glance around, gauging the threat level. After several seconds, they nodded in unison and shouted something that Bruce couldn't hear. Through his scope, Bruce watched with numb, hate-filled eyes as the Joker sauntered into his line of sight. The bastard looked just as he always had and Bruce wasn't sure if the hatred roaring in his soul had ever been as potent as it currently was. Green hair was messily slicked back and the familiar purple cloak wrapped around the monster's surprisingly muscular body in a shield against the absolute hatred that Bruce was shooting at him through his murderous eyes from a mile away.

He was so tempted to finish off the bastard at that moment, relishing the feel of killing his son's murderer. His finger wrapped around the trigger and he found it frozen, unable to end Jason's killer, and he knew why. Bruce needed to kill the Joker up close, needed to do it with his own hands, and feel and watch the life cower away from the bastard's eyes at the sight of Bruce's unholy rage.

Bruce removed his finger off the trigger and knew that tonight was definitely the night that would bring him peace as Harley Quinn aligned herself next to the Joker, hair molded into pigtails and a crazed smile gracing her face. She was wearing enormous body armor that covered her entire body save her face but it was recognizably the bitch who had held Jason down while Bruce was powerless as the Joker raped his son. He felt no remorse for his decision; only peace and contentment fluttered in his heart. Having determined their location, Bruce leaped off the building and the wind whipped through his face, cutting into his exposed jaw. At the last possible second, he fired his grappling gun and the hook wrapped around an exposed steel bar and Bruce swung towards the hidden Batmobile.

Hopping in, he revved the engine, shooting through the alley as he was so close to his vengeance - _it's all that mattered!_ He knew that there was a good chance that he would have to chase any getaway vehicles so Bruce parked the Batmobile by a large crane that would mask its presence. He slithered along the construction equipment, easily scaling large gaps as his mind was calm, calculating each move that he would make and what course of action would best determine the outcome of the Joker and Quinn's death.

He silently landed behind a guard and narrowed his eyes at the camouflage that was proudly displayed. The man was a soldier and thus, he was someone who Bruce wouldn't kill, only injure; he held the utmost respect for the military, the idea of the military, the soldiers who risked their lives for the country and not the government officials who ordered the soldiers. He crept behind the disillusioned soldier and harshly wrapped his arms around the man's neck, squeezing tightly as the guard struggled desperately, bucking his legs against the ground and Bruce, afraid that someone would hear the struggle, swung the man around and the sound of a skull smashing against a wall echoed in his ears. He detected a heartbeat from inside his mask and picked the unconscious soldier up; he placed him beneath one of the eighteen-wheelers so the man would have a peaceful resting place until he woke up.

After a second of contemplation, Bruce pulled out a batarang and slashed the tires on all of the trucks, eyes roving the area for anyone. He had to duck out of sight when he saw a flashlight poke against the wheels several times.

He succeeded and he quickly crept into the building, using the darkened halls as his ally against the Joker and his men. One of the henchmen, who had a large afro, stepped into the light and Bruce stilled; the man was very large, muscles falling over his body like an extra pair of clothes and Bruce was fearful that this man was hooked on Bane's venom, but was thankful to see that no tubes protruded out of the muscle-bound man. Bruce would have no guilt for killing the man or any like him; he worked for the Joker directly. Having encountered quite a few henchmen in his life, Bruce knew that they were garbage, pure marketplace trash; they would kill their own mothers if the price was right.

After several moments, to make sure that no more guards or henchmen would appear, Bruce hurled a batarang into the man's afro, slicing through the top. He didn't want to touch any of the skin because any attempt to harm the body through the skin would result in profuse bleeding and thus, evidence. He didn't even want to graze the skin as the dermis was richly vascular.

Bruce watched the man wince and turn around, one hand flying to his weapon while the other gripped his now almost shaved head. Bruce leaped forward and slammed into the henchman's form, wrapping his hand around the man's bulging jaw and the other behind the back of his skull. With a hefty grunt of effort, Bruce wrenched his hands to the left, twisting his wrists, snapping the man's neck. He watched the life flicker out of the man's dark orbs and Bruce flash-backed to the scene of his parents' murder.

He blinked, swiftly pulling the corpse into an abandoned room and journeyed through the building.

Something was wrong.

Bruce could feel it but he had come too far to be scared by a simple intuition. Instead, he continued onward to the Joker's whereabouts. He entered a hallway and after several seconds of walking, immediately realized his mistake. It was bright and white walls lined the passage. There were no shadows to conceal himself and anger bubbled within him as guards, prepared guards with armor and weapons, entered his vision.

"Halt!" One said and Bruce heard two more come behind him, trapping him in the narrow hallway; his fists clenched as the realization that he had been tricked by the Joker drowned his heart. The hatred was howling through his soul, igniting his blood with life as Bruce swiftly pulled a small pistol and opened fire on the two guards in front of him.

One fell to the ground bonelessly and the other lurched backward with a scream of pain, blood spurting out of his arm. Bruce immediately hurled sticky bombs behind him as he felt several bullets slam into his kevlar-protected back - those would leave some nasty bruises. The explosion made his eyes tunnel and ears ring - tinnitus was such a hindrance when explosives came into play. Through blurred vision, Bruce fired several shots at the one remaining guard and blearily watched as the man fell to the ground dramatically, hands clutching his neck as blood began to seep through his desperate fingers, staining the guard's hands crimson.

Bruce braced his arm against the wall and closed his eyes, letting his body fight off the affliction; only a rested and healed body and mind could perform at peak capacity. Rest was a weapon! He blinked and observed the guards who he had slain, gauging their vitality by viewing their eyes; they were all dead.

" _Bravo, batsy!"_ Bruce whirled around, gun raised at the speaker. He stared at in shock which soon dissolved into anger; the Joker. Insane laughter echoed through the speakers, _"You haven't lost your touch, ole' bats! You really know how to put the 'fun' in funeral! That's why I love you!"_

"Joker!" He screamed and raced through the building while listening to his son's murderer. "Where are you?"

" _Where would the fun in that be if I told you, batsy? No. That's not how the game works. If you haven't deduced, you are currently surrounded by military-trained soldiers under the employment of the government. You're surrounded!"_ He cackled through the speakers, _"Once you're captured, we're going to have such fun together! Then, you can experience what Jason did, my heart!"_

Bruce was absolutely certain that the hatred had never been as overwhelming as it was after that announcement - not even for the apocalyptic nightmare that Superman caused. Without thought, he pulled out every explosive he had on his person - over a dozen - and threw them in an elevator. Elevators were a structural weak point and once the bombs detonated, the fire would rush through every level of the building, killing everyone inside.

The Joker would die!

" _No, batsy! That's not how it works! You're changing the game!"_

"I don't care! I'm through playing, Joker," he raced out of the building and pressed a button. Massive eruptions of fire exploded behind him and Bruce didn't dare look behind him, too busy making sure that he found his Batmobile. He heard bullets smash into several pieces of equipment to his right and Bruce turned behind the crane, hopping into the Batmobile, ignoring the henchmen who were still alive.

It was over.

He had finally done it; the Joker was dead.

His dark eyes closed and he leaned his head back until it rested against the back of the seat. Euphoria filled him as he inhaled and began to release-

" _That was smart, batsy!"_ Bruce's eyes snapped open as the Joker's voice echoed from outside. No! No! He was supposed to be dead! No human could survive that! _"It's too bad for you that I'm unpredictable and that your little display of technology has attracted some unwanted attention! You're in trouble, now. Because Cain is coming! I knew that Jason would do it! I made you lose control…"_ dark, malicious laughter erupted, _"and he'll kill you for it!"_

Bruce watched as eighteen-wheeler trucks raced past him - the other eighteen-wheelers that he had slashed were decoys!

He gunned the engine and raced after, watching the Joker stick his head out the back of the vehicle, smiling gleefully; the bastard then waved his purple-gloved hand at Bruce. Growling with rage, Bruce followed them. Just as they were about to exit the port, the Joker pulled out a machine gun maniacally fired it at the approaching Batmobile. Harley Quinn soon appeared in that ridiculous armor and followed her psychotic lover's example.

Thugs in sports cars soon surrounded the Batmobile, machine guns pointed through the window at Bruce. Bullets began to pelt the vehicle and Bruce growled, slamming on the brakes and relished the feel of one of the cars crash into the back of the Batmobile; the other sports cars swerved and tried to surround him while the Joker got away! Bruce revved the engine and heard the sound of flames roaring out of the back of the Batmobile, scorching the desolated sports car as Bruce gunned it towards the surrounding thugs. He dimly noticed that the sports car that had crashed into him from behind exploded from the flames, but he was focused on the ones in front of him.

Their eyes were wide with fear, the terror of an inevitable death as realization flashed in their depths.

Bruce felt no regret as he rammed into one of the sports cars, feeling the car crash against the Batmobile as it flew through the air, flying for several seconds until it hurled into a portable trailer. He then pressed several controls on his dashboard and gatlet guns rose out of the Batmobile, heralding the arrival of death itself. Bullets tore the cars and men inside to shreds within seconds and Bruce fired his harpoon launcher into the discarded sports car that had crashed into the portable trailer.

Dragging the car behind him, Bruce grunted as he slammed into many walls and barriers while trying to chase down the Joker's vehicle. After several seconds, he saw the eighteen-wheeler and his eyes narrowed, turning into slits as the thrill of the chase began.

He was going to kill the Joker and avenge Jason!

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal had journeyed to Themyscira immediately following Luthor's declaration. He needed to get away! He had to do something! Lessen the noise! Ward off the sorrow drowning his soul! Hearing the condemnation of the entire country had hurt him more than anything physical ever could. Plus, J'onn's slander echoed throughout his mind, weighing him down even further. The world and his brother hated him, feared him and wanted his head on a pike if possible.

For hours, he had unwound his tensed form on Themyscira, relishing in the silence that echoed in his ears; he observed all of the animals thriving on the island and began to let the horrors wash away under the utter peace that enveloped him on Themyscira.

Smiling slightly at the pack of Rondors that seemed to be wrestling, Kal flew to the Scout Ship. Upon registering his presence, the outer shell of the ship faded away and Kal floated unhindered into the ancient Kryptonian vessel.

Kelex floated forward, "Hello, sir," the Android's tendrils of liquid geo spread open in greeting. "May I be of assistance?"

"How is the restoration of my father's A.I. progressing?"

"Very well, sir. Jor-El of Kandor's A.I. has been restored by approximately 79.2%. I suspect that in only months, no longer than six, the A.I. will be fully usable."

He sighed in utter relief, "Good, that's good news, Kelex."

"Is there anything else, sir that you would like me to assist you with?"

"No, Kelex, I don't think that- …actually, yes." Kal knew it would be best if he saw the reports on the news outlets that detailed his situation. "Kelex, pull up all broadcasts detailing 'Superman' from anything that uses the word." He ordered quietly, bracing himself for the worst but hoping for the best.

After several seconds, liquid geo surrounded them, "Here is all broadcasts that detail the word 'Superman', sir. Is there anything else?"

Kal ignored the Android, eyes scanning the liquid geo's findings. It was as he had suspected; the world was pitching for his execution. Hate groups had formed and they were gaining heavy ground in terms of political power since Congress. Lex's face was everywhere, side-by-side with Kal's, ' _Our savior!_ _'_ The nation praised Lex and condemned Kal, ' _The Cataclysm For The Apocalypse!_ _'_ headlines read as Kal was scorned by the planet he thought of as his home.

Earth didn't feel the same way.

Shaking his head, Kal turned to his right and blinked. ' _Is this Superman's doing in retaliation over President Luthor's decree?_ _'_ The screen showed a peer and port that was utterly destroyed. Raging fires and desecrated buildings stared back at Kal.

That was not his doing.

Even though the Earth loathed him and wanted him dead, Kal wasn't going to stop being Superman. Whoever had wreaked havoc and killed the innocent people that were surely in those buildings was going to face justice and Kal was going to inflict it. Maybe if he apprehended the culprit, the world would begin to see that Kal wasn't trying to bring about the apocalypse.

"Kelex, focus on that broadcast and any near its location," he pointed at it and watched as Kelex narrowed his attention and findings as was ordered. "Pull up any and all surveillance that happened before all of that _._ "

Kal furrowed his brows as he watched recordings of a large building explode in massive embers of destruction. He could see a figure darting through the darkness but that was it. Kelex pulled surveillance up of the recordings inside the building minutes before it exploded and Kal could see the same outline of the figure darting through the shadows. He couldn't use his vision because the recordings were poor in quality - he would only look through the liquid geo. He watched as the figure murdered a man by breaking the poor soul's neck, and Kal's fists clenched; this person had to be stopped! He was murdering people!

"Sir, I believe you might want to look at this." Kelex narrowed on another screen and Kal felt like the World Engine's gravity beam had borne down on him like the sky itself again.

He watched with numb eyes as Batman was trapped in a hallway with four armed men - it looked like trespassing. After several seconds, Batman pulled a pistol out in a blurred motion and shot two of the guards. One went down instantly and Kal closed his eyes in anger as the other's arm spurt blood all over the white walls. Batman's body staggered as bullets slammed into his back but he remained standing - Kal realized that his body must have been reinforced with dragon skin and kevlar armor. Batman hurled several grenades towards the men and the resulting explosion made the surveillance tape flicker for several seconds.

By the time it was restored, Batman pointed his gun at the last man standing and Kal watched in sorrow as the man lurched backward and fell to the ground lifelessly. It was something that he had always considered but never thought would happen. Bruce Wayne had snapped and turned into someone unrecognizable, become the Bat.

Kal had to stop him; he would warn him one time to stop masquerading as Batman. He would give the man one chance to heed his warning; while he didn't want to hand Bruce over to the government, he would if he had to.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Bruce's features contorted into determination as he saw the Joker laughing maniacally as the Batmobile approached. It was time to end it! It was the moment he had dreamt of for years! It had finally arrived! He detached the harpoon and watched as the crushed car smashed into the last sports car that dared to defend the monster _._ He drifted around the wreckage and sped after the Joker.

After several seconds, Bruce saw Quinn hand the Joker a rocket launcher and Bruce continuing the chase, only for his eyes widened when he saw an oncoming tanker truck. He saw the Joker lurch against the side of the trailer as the eighteen-wheeler barely swerved out of the way. Because of the abrupt motion, the Joker lost control of the rocket launcher and it fell out of his grasp. It bucked against the metal flooring and Bruce narrowly veered out of the way, hearing the projectile whizz by the Batmobile and explode into something. Massive explosions erupted and Bruce ignored it, focused on his task.

The Joker would die - he must!

Maneuvering around several warehouses, Bruce kept track of he and the Joker's position in his head. His eyes widened as he came to a dead end. Realizing that he had no other option, Bruce smashed through the brick wall and raced through the building, eyes roving through the tinted windows of the warehouse as they followed the eighteen-wheeler's - _the Joker's!_ \- lights.

After several seconds, Bruce saw his opening; a ramp was in perfect position and he felt victorious. This was the moment that he had dreamt of for years! It had finally arrived!

He blazed up the ramp and glanced to the side, watching the unsuspecting vehicle line up in perfect position - _fate was on his side!_ Bruce wrenched the wheels to the left and he jolted towards the wall and crashed through it, landing on top of the eighteen-wheeler, tearing through it uncontested. Bruce grunted as the Batmobile landed and he could do nothing as several docked boats hindered his path. Bruce turned the wheel frantically and was narrowly able to crash through the wood instead of the anchors.

Eventually, he stopped and he leaned his head back against the headrest in utter relief. He had done it. The Joker was dead! Jason was avenged! Bruce could sleep peacefully for the first time in years!

" _Are you out of your mind?"_ The Joker screeched from outside. Shock coursed through Bruce's body, horror intermingling. _"That was close, ole' batsy boy, but no cigar!"_ Hysterical laughter echoed through speakers and into Bruce's ears.

Jason's gruesome, beaten, and unrecognizable face flashed in his mind and Bruce's soul roared to life, fueled by a poisonous hatred. The Joker would die for his actions. He didn't know or care how the Joker had survived but this time he would die in agony; the third time would be a charm, it had to be!

Bruce gunned the Batmobile forward and shot out of the boat wreckage that he had caused with unabandoned fury. He continued his chase after the Joker, knowing he would succeed - he had to! Jason, his son would be avenged!

The Joker laughed and waved at him, eyes wide with derangement. The truck was over ten meters ahead and it turned a corner, missiles firing from the top of the eighteen-wheeler. Bruce slowed down, immediately deploying every flare available to ward off the homing missiles. By the time he looked up, the truck was out of sight and he growled. He blazed forward and turned the corner, drifting around the protruding cargo boxes.

Superman.

He saw the flap of the red cape billowing in an unseen wind; the false god stood in front of Bruce's path that led to the Joker, Jason, his son's murderer! After a moment, he slammed his foot into the accelerator, intending to run over the alien, completing that crusade, and continue his chase of the Joker; he would kill two birds with one stone.

Bruce's eyes grew wide with anticipation as he blazed closer. Then he was flung back in his seat as the Batmobile literally bounced off of the unfazed Superman. He felt the car crash into something and explosions erupted; his vision was blurry and smoke and alarms assaulted him as he tried to regain his bearings.

He looked up as he saw the flap of the red cape and flinched minutely when Superman effortlessly tore through the roof of the Batmobile, the strongest metals in the world shredding like paper. Bruce felt his hatred unleashed, giving him the strength to stand up in defiance.

They were eye-to-eye.

Superman stared into his eyes and Bruce was reminded of those fiery energy beams that had torn through dozens of skyscrapers like a hot knife through butter. Disgust shined in the alien's orbs and Bruce's nightmare flashed through his mind.

"Next time when they shine your light in the sky, don't go to it. The Bat is dead. Bury it." Superman began to tilt his body away, signaling his leave. "Consider this mercy, Bruce," he fully turned around, power drawn in his body, looking like the god that the world believed him to be.

The alien began to walk away and Bruce knew he couldn't fight Superman here; his gloved fists clenched. Superman was at the very heart of all his problems, now! The faux deity would soon destroy humanity and had killed Selina and his unborn son in his nightmare. Then, and worst of all, Superman was the reason why the Joker still lived, why Bruce had been unable to avenge Jason, his son!

His heart raced with poisonous loathing, face pinched in fury. "Tell me something, Clark," he growled, sounding demonic with his voice modulator. Superman stopped and slowly, achingly turn his gaze towards Bruce, distaste carved into his features. "Do you bleed?" He delighted in saying the words that he had so often wondered.

Did the false god bleed?

Superman seemed to scoff and Bruce was pushed back by the shockwave of power as the alien exploded off of the ground and disappeared into the heavens.

Staring into the dark sky, Bruce vowed. "You will," he uttered and turned towards his destroyed Batmobile; he would make certain of it!

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana hadn't been this angry since she had fought Faora in the IHOP in Smallville over two years ago during the Kryptonian invasion led by Zod; she continuously materialized a small dagger in her hand and imagined slashing it into J'onn, Lex Luthor, and Bruce's horror-stricken forms.

How dare they? Specifically, J'onn.

Kal's brother had left and practically abandoned Kal and Earth. She could understand his need to get away but two years was far too long. Especially since Kal has been at the center of the world ever since; his every action was judged and now, he was hated and Luthor had called for his capture with more and more of humanity supporting the President's cries with each day of Congress' explosion that passed.

J'onn had disowned Kal, harmed him and that was something she could not forgive. Kal had always supported J'onn through his journey away from Earth even though it had pained him to do so. Kal had been scorned by his own brother and Diana anticipated when she could see J'onn again; she would give him a piece of her mind.

Then, Lex Luthor had turned humanity against Kal and manipulated events, snuffing out innocent lives so that he could paint Kal in a savage light. She hadn't figured out how Luthor had slaughtered the African village or the Congress bombing but she was absolutely certain that the President of the United States was behind humanity's reversal in perspective. Kal had been too quiet since he had shown her Luthor's announcement and revealed what Bruce had said to him when he interrupted her once-friend's mass killing spree. Staring at Kal, Diana knew that it was up to her to help him through this horror; she suspected that events weren't as they seemed because things were lining up too nicely.

First, the African village and Congress' bombing and then, Zeus appears to reveal how Ares now reigns as King of the Celestials. Now, Lex Luthor declared Kal as a menace to society and must be destroyed with humanity agreeing with him. And then there was Bruce's vendetta against Kal that she could only assume was from the Kryptonian Invasion that Kal had nothing to do with! Diana felt resigned to the face that the man who she had thought had been her friend was gone and someone unrecognizable had taken his place, stealing his visage; the 'Bat' had completely overwritten Bruce Wayne.

She shook her head as she couldn't dwell on what had already happened. Only on what could happen. She would reason that Ares and Luthor were working together if the thought wasn't utterly ridiculous. Both men were too arrogant to ever work with someone else and they would never admit to needing help. Bruce was working by his lonesome; he had always been the lone wolf and hated working with the others.

"Kal, we will get through this," she assured - she didn't know if it was said more for him or herself. "They, whoever they are, will lose and the truth will be revealed. Luthor will face justice and Bruce will soon see the truth and will no longer be blinded by his hatred."

Kal turned towards her and she was alarmed at his blank face; utterly devoid of any emotion. "What do you suggest?" He asked tonelessly.

She swallowed, nervousness curdling through her stomach. "My father said that Ares and the others will come for me and that it was only a matter of when. They are the bigger threat and need to be dealt with. After they are dealt with, we will focus on Luthor and his dastardly machinations. I'm not concerned about Bruce's vendetta; he cannot harm us."

"Okay. Do you have any ideas as to where Olympus is?"

Diana frowned, "No. Legend has always said that it resided on a massive mountain, practically floating in the sky and was home to the Olympian deities. Zeus let the humans have free reign in their creation of the mythology to hide the Celestials from Krypton. Honestly, I don't even know if Olympus is real."

Kal blinked, "I don't think so. Humanity has become advanced enough with their technology that they can monitor almost anything or anyone deemed suspicious. Zeus and the others would have needed a place to lay low like how we have here," he gestured to the Kent Farm, "and Themyscira. Are you certain that Olympus isn't on the island?" He leaned forward and Diana was relieved to see some emotion in his brilliant, cerulean blue eyes.

She sighed, "Well, when my sisters were killed, it was through the misdeeds of Ares and the younger generation of the Celestials. They had to get on Themyscira and that is difficult, even before you upgraded the security of the island, Kal. Wouldn't the Scout Ship register the presence of any Celestials on Themyscira?"

"Yeah, it would," Kal murmured, "I guess that… Ares and the others knew they could force their way through the barrier and subsequently did. I am certain that there is an Olympus, but I just don't know where."

Diana leaned against him and was grateful that he wrapped his arm around her. "We just need to think," she whispered. "We'll figure it out."

Silence.

She suddenly felt Kal shift against her. "You know, there is a degree of truth in the mythology that the humans created about the Greek gods. Think about it, Diana. The Titans represented the Eradication of Supmylo and the victory that Zeus and the others achieved when they managed to escape the desolation of their homeworld. The Olympians portrayed the godlike power that the Celestials controlled that the humans were in awe over. The mythological beasts depicted humanity's fear of powers that were beyond their understanding. What if the humans concocted the idea of Olympus residing on a massive mountain and floating in the sky because…" he trailed off, eyes staring into her own.

"Because that's where it actually was." Diana breathed, "Olympus is on a massive mountain, practically floating in the sky."

"It would make sense," Kal nodded, "but the only question is which mountain. There are thousands of…" he trailed off, lips parted.

She took his silence for bafflement, "Couldn't you ask Kelex to scan the planet?"

"Everest," he whispered. "It has to be Mount Everest."

Diana frowned, "Mount Everest? What's that? Where is it?"

"Mount Everest lies on the border between Nepal and Tibet, China. It is Earth's highest mountain at almost thirty-thousand feet. Many explorers have journeyed towards its peak but have sadly perished; there have been very few who have ever succeeded in their travel through the perilous terrain."

"So, you think that Olympus resides at the top of Mount Everest?" She asked doubtfully, "Because if you do, wouldn't people in China and Nepal know about it? I mean, you just said that people have made it to the top. Wouldn't they see Olympus once they reached the peak of the mountain?"

"Yes, they would," Kal whispered, brows furrowing in contemplation, "If it is on Everest it would- … inside!" He exclaimed, "Olympus is inside of Mount Everest! It makes perfect sense! They must've built up!"

"Do you want to ask Kelex just to make sure?" She asked hesitantly but also feeling slightly excited that they might have managed to decipher an ancient secret about Earth.

Kal nodded, "Kelex," he called out and within the blink of a human's eyelid, they were in the Scout Ship on Themyscira.

"Hello, sir and mistress." Kelex floated forward. "How may I be of assistance?"

"Kelex, I need you to scan the entire planet of Earth for energy residue that is similar to Diana's." Kal ordered, "We want to know where the Celestials' home, Olympus is."

Kelex buzzed, "Right away, sir. Just one moment," Diana watched as the liquid geo flashed around them and she watched in awe as Kelex scanned the planet. Eventually, after several seconds, Kelex zeroed on Asia. Then, the liquid geo magnified and they were looking at Mount Everest. "Based on the readings, sir, the energy that Mistress Diana exudes correlates within the massif the humans call 'Everest'. It is especially potent inside the base of the foundation."

Kal smiled; it was the first one that Diana had seen since yesterday. He turned towards her, "We've deciphered where Olympus is. What do you want to do? Lay siege? Direct attack? Are you even sure that you want to destroy your last… family members? If you do, you'll have no family left."

Diana smiled softly and leaned up, pressing her lips to Kal's. "You are my family, Kal. Yes, the Celestials must die; they've proven that they are nothing more than murderers. Frankly, I'm ashamed to be related to them even though I'm thankful for my powers."

"Okay," Kal glanced at the Mount Everest depicted on the liquid geo. "Do you want to attack? What about-"

"No," Diana shook her head, interrupting her lover. "We can't rush this operation. The Celestials must be destroyed, and any poorly-prepared plans could, potentially, be detrimental to our success. Ares and the others are powerful _._ I'm certain that we can triumph over them but it would be tough. You would need a weapon," she murmured. "Using your fists wouldn't work."

"I would be too fast for them," Kal countered, "Well... actually, I don't know. Hermes was hailed as the deity of speed in mythology. There must have been a reason for that."

Diana nodded, smiling at her lover. "Exactly. If we were to fight, the two of us, right now, with no limitations, you would win quite easily." It wounded her warrior's pride but Kal was stronger, faster, and more durable than she was. He had managed to defeat the two Kryptonian behemoths - who she had learned were named Car-Vex and Nam-Ek - while Diana was evenly matched against Faora. Kal had also managed to overpower Zod in their battle.

"Diana, while that might be true, you would give me a run for my money." Kal placed his hands on her cheeks, "I might be stronger and faster, but your fighting skills are second to none _._ If the winner of the fight was determined by martial arts prowess, you would beat me soundly."

Diana laughed, leaning up to kiss him. "Thank you, and that is why we must prepare for our confrontation with Ares and the others."

"You're going to train me?" Kal asked with furrowed brows, "I don't know if I would be suited for the Amazonian style."

She frowned because he was correct. What type of martial arts style would suit Kal? Her eyes suddenly gleamed with enlightenment.

"Kelex," she called out and saw the Android appear before them. "What were the martial arts that the Kryptonians utilized? When I was fighting Faora, she harnessed movements that I had never seen before."

Kal nodded, "Zod also moved with training, experience. He knew where to hit me so I would actually feel it and boy, did I feel them; it was painful."

"Kryptonian combat was broken into several forms: Tyklyin, Dvchum, and one that was named Torquasm Rao. Tyklyin was a hard fighting style. Mainly comprised of lethal attacks of fists, legs, and feet. It was designed by Tyr-Zod many eons ago to battle multiple opponents at once."

Diana's eyes widened, "That would be really good for you, Kal." She wondered if she herself could learn Kryptonian martial arts.

"What about Dvchum and Torquasm Rao, Kelex?" Kal asked, eyes yearning for more knowledge of his people.

"Very well, sir. Dvchum was the form that Sub-Commander Faora-Ul was renowned for; it utilized the weak points, pressure points on lesser species and focused on one's body discipline. The intent was to kill your enemies as quickly as possible while still retaining enough energy to fight off swarms of others."

Diana knew she would really like to learn that one. She had been almost in awe of Faora's fighting style when they fought on the two occasions. "And the last one?" She asked.

"Torquasm Rao focused heavily on blind fighting, body sensitivity by use of all your senses, body control, and immovability. It was a focus of one's mind and the reaching to higher enlightenment." Kelex floated forward, liquid geo showing pictures and images of the styles while Kal and Diana watched in awe. Eventually, they vanished and they looked up at Kelex, "It was established that each Kryptonian, no matter their occupation or guild, was to master one of the styles, except for the Noble Houses, specifically, the Heads of the Nobles Houses. The Heads of the Noble Houses were tasked with mastering all of them. Despite being engineered as a Thinker, your father was most adept at all of the Kryptonian martial arts, behind only General Zod of Kandor and Sub-Commander Faora-Ul of Kandor, Kal-El. Jor-El theorized that his mother had part of the House of Zod; he never knew her and his father, Seyg-El never spoke of her."

"Can Kal learn them?" Diana asked, leaning forward. Kal had to know at least some combat techniques when they faced Ares and the others. "It would be useful."

"No, Mistress Diana, Kal-El cannot." Kelex buzzed, "I do not know the techniques and only a mentor is able to pass on that knowledge." Kelex turned towards Kal, "Kal-El, your father's A.I. will be restored soon. Jor-El of Kandor's A.I. will be able to teach you these fighting techniques."

Diana deflated, "I guess that I'll have to teach you Amazon techniques. You will have an advantage though, Kal."

"What's that?" He asked, watching as Kelex scanned something several feet away.

"The normal Amazon fighting style didn't suit me because of my heritage." Diana explained, "I had to create my own style and I think that you would thrive under my tutelage; needless to say, the Tyklyin would be better for you because of your physiology and, personally, I think you would be perfect for it, but as we both know, that is unavailable for now _._ "

Kal smiled, "All right, let's do it. Kelex!"

"Yes, sir?" The Android seemed befuddled and Diana almost laughed at the uncertainty conveyed through the robot's motions.

"What weapons does the Scout Ship contain that would be best for me to aid Diana in her battle against Ares and the other Celestials?"

Diana's eyes widened as she had never pondered the Kryptonian weapons that Kal had. They had firearms but that wouldn't bode well to face the Celestials with those.

Kelex hummed, "We have a variety of weapons, Kal-El. We also have the designs of all Kryptonian weapons ever conceived in the ship, in my very programming. If you wish, I could manufacture any of them for you."

"What do we have right now, Kelex?" Diana butt in. "We can't really wait."

"Understood, Mistress. What type of weapons were you seeking?"

"Anything that is like my sword and can be used in hand-to-hand combat, Kelex."

"Energy lances were most effective on Krypton and there is an abundance of the staffs in the weapons hall, sir and mistress."

Kal shook his head, "I doubt that would be effective against Ares. What's the strongest weapon that is similar to a sword? Matter of fact, are there any swords, Kelex?"

"Certainly, sir. There are many swords in the weapons hall, Kal-El. To answer your first question, a sword is actually one of the strongest weapons in the arsenal of the Scout Ship."

Diana almost growled. Sometimes Kelex could be so vague, "What's the sword then, Kelex?" She exclaimed, anticipating rushing through her body. She wanted to see powerful weapons!

"It was deemed 'soultaker' by Van-El, your ancestor, Kal-El. It was the weapon that deciphered the locations of the Celestials' brains during their Eradication and ended their race. It was an immensely useful sword that was able to sense the location of the Celestials' 'souls' which they had mistakenly called their brains. The Celestials suffered from a false perception. What they had called their brains, were actually their souls. These souls were able to create Avatars that held all of their power and characteristics. These Avatars were easy to destroy but they kept coming back, healing and reappearing to kill Kryptonians."

"Then what happened?" Diana held her breath, yearning for more knowledge.

"Van-El determined that it wasn't through a healing factor that the Celestials kept returning. He theorized that since their bodies dispersed in a shower of sparks, they actually died but their essence would reform in a new body. He created the soultaker sword to be able to search for and even trap, if necessary, their souls. Through his grand revelation, the Celestial race was eradicated and the soultaker sword has been hailed as one of Krypton's greatest creations."

Kal blinked, "Why is the soultaker sword on this Scout Ship? This was only one of the many thousands that were launched into the void. Why is it on this one?" Diana nodded in agreement; it was an excellent question.

"Dev-Em stole the weapon when he had managed to escape from Kandor and snuck aboard this Scout Ship without Kara Zor-El and the others noticing. After his death at the hands of Kara Zor-El, the soultaker sword was placed into the weapons hall aboard this Scout Ship and has remained there ever since." Kelex finished, staring at them with liquid geo tentacles creating the story that he had told.

Kal turned to her, "I think that will work for my weapon," he said. "If you don't want me to use it since it was responsible for your ancestors' deaths, I would understand; Zeus' sword that he had created is still at the house. I could use that. We both know it still works; it managed to cut my finger even though it healed instantly."

"That's true," Diana acquiesced, "but I think you should utilize the soultaker; we already know it can kill a Celestial and plus, I'm really interested in the power of the weapon." She admitted.

Kal laughed, "Kelex, escort us to the weapons hall."

"Right away, sir." Kelex floated away and they followed. Diana gripped Kal's hand and knew things were going to get better.

They had to.

XxXxXxXxXxX

The man in the dark overcoat and low-brimmed hat that shadowed his face from the harsh lights of the hallway pulled out his card and inserted it into the slot. With a lug on his suitcase, he was inside the hotel room. Shaking off his hat, he placed it on the coat rack. It had been raining heavily. His shoes were sopping wet and the sounds of the night rain were echoing everywhere, pinging off the roof of the building like dropped bombs.

The door suddenly shut and he was bathed in the dark.

Fumbling in the darkness, the man hesitantly slathered his hand on the wall, looking for the light switch. After several seconds, he was rewarded when light flooded his vision and he sighed in relief; he had made it. Against all odds, the man had been able to evade his pursuers, able to keep the information a secret against those who would use it for immoral purposes like President Luthor.

The man had to get the information to Cain.

He placed his luggage against the wall and pulled off his jacket, smiling slightly at the beams that highlighted his buttoned-up, white shirt. He glanced at his suitcase, satisfied at its whereabouts and stumbled into his room, freezing in horror as a pair of cold eyes stared back at him.

A shiny, bald head was reflected off the light and dressed in the finest suit imaginable, Lex Luthor portrayed power.

"Hello, Jasper," the President of the United States sat in the desk chair, eyes mocking, yet steely.

The man closed his eyes, "Fucking hell!" He cursed and collapsed onto the bed, defeat drowning his heart.

He had failed.

"I do have to commend you, Jasper." Luthor said, "Your little excursion had almost slipped past my eyes and ears. You know, I had always liked you; such tenacity and balls that were rare to find in someone of your stature." The President smiled, teeth gleaming like a shark. "Alas, you failed, Jasper. You had sought to compromise my plans and that is not tolerated." The facade cracked and Jasper saw a glimpse of the unholy hatred that the President felt, the immaculate rage, "You sought to undermine a cultivation of over a decade and a half's work by giving my plans to Cain. _"_

"I had to!" He sat up, glaring into the eyes of the President, "What you're doing isn't right! It's unnatural! For fuck's sake, Luthor, you can't play God! Nature wasn't intended for what you want to do." Jasper shook his head, "I need a smoke," he muttered. "Do you mind?" He asked rhetorically, reaching into his pocket and took out his golden butane lighter.

"Here," Luthor tossed him a pack of cigarettes and Jasper caught it, uncaring if it was a bomb or a scheme meant to kill him.

He was already dead; he knew what happened to those who betrayed the ways of President Luthor. Everyone who worked for him did.

He placed the cigarette between his lips, bringing the lighter to the tip and ignited it. He breathed deeply and felt the smoke drift into his lungs, further damaging them irreversibly. "If you succeed with your detestable plans, you will regret it." He huffed out, thick smoke clouding the air for several seconds. "That's all you will feel, no triumph."

A deep laugh filled the room, "Regret it, you say?" Luthor stood up and pulled a silenced pistol out of the slits of his suit, "No, I don't think so, Jasper. You see, I've already meticulously thought everything through. My mind is above anyone's."

"Yet you still needed my help with your little project."

Luthor frowned before it faded. "Sadly, for you, the chance to taste the fruit of my labors has already passed you by."

"That's a good thing," he whispered.

He watched as Lex Luthor, the President of the United States raised the pistol, devilish smirk carved into his features. Jasper Leeland flicked his cigarette at the President, relishing in the anger flashing across the bald man's face.

A small _spit_.

Pain.

Gasping, he fell to the floor, unable to breathe as his throat had been destroyed by the bullet. His hands fisted into the carpet as scorching heat resonated in his mind, waves of agony shooting through his nerves. He glanced down and to his utter horror, saw blood gushing out of his neck, seeping down his chest like a river.

Luthor suddenly kneeled over him, "It didn't have to be this way, Jasper, but I'm not surprised. I've been betrayed too many times to honestly think that anyone would stay my ally; people always leave. I must thank you though, Jasper. If it wasn't for your little excursion, I would have never found the mole implanted in the White House by those who seek to oppose my vision; because of you, I have dealt with the traitors thoroughly. You see, I value loyalty above all else. Any who aren't loyal to me are executed." Luthor calmly stared down at him and after a moment, walked towards Jasper's suitcase.

Jasper could do nothing as the President opened the metal case with a flick of his thumbs, pulling out all the documents that he had to get to Cain!

He heard the shoes clap against the floor as Luthor walked back to him. Through hazy eyes, he saw Luthor raise his eyebrows. "Your heart is beating three times its normal rate; it's because of the amount of blood that you're losing. But because of that, you will lose that much more. In 30 more seconds, your body will shut down and you will suffocate." Luthor sighed and laughed boisterously, "Son of a bitch, the suspense is killing me. _"_

Jasper's vision became spotty, blurry as Luthor spoke. The pain had faded away and all that was left was the cold. His fingers curled into the carpet, desperately seeking to keep his soul from drifting away, but it was inevitable, useless.

Then, _nothing._

XxXxXxXxXxX

J'onn had never been more disgusted with anyone or anything than he was with himself. How could he do that? How could he say those poisonous things to Kal, his brother?

He had stayed on his ship for hours, staring with unseeing eyes at the spot where he had last seen his brother. Eventually, J'onn stumbled out of his ship and flew back towards the palace in a daze. He landed in the garden and stared at his reflection in the pond-like area; devastated eyes stared back at him.

He couldn't think straight as his brother's broken eyes flashed through his mind continuously. J'onn hated himself. He knew his parents would be disgusted with him just as he was with himself. The Kents had raised him and Kal to always support one another, but what did J'onn do when his brother appeared?

J'onn had practically disowned him.

He was tempted to see if Almerac had a large fire pit that he could jump into. He deserved to die an agonizing death! He couldn't keep living with the utter self-loathing and sorrow that drowned his hearts. He stared down at his pale hands, hands that had lashed out at Kal in contempt. He felt tears begin to spill down his cheeks as J'onn knew Kal must hate him for what he had done. Kal had always encouraged him and supported him in his journey through the universe even though J'onn knew it pained Kal to do so.

How had J'onn repaid his brother for Kal's undying love and support?

His fists clenched and the ground began to vibrate as his powers begged to lash out in utter rage, a rage that was rooted in himself. After several seconds and quick breaths, J'onn calmed himself as thoughts of happier times flooded his mind.

Times when he and Kal had still been children, and the Kents were still alive, and Lex hadn't discovered their powers; they had been... a family. He missed those times, he yearned for it again but knew that, unfortunately, it was in the past - it was dead.

"I'm sorry that it took me so long, J'onn." Maxima's voice said from behind him and J'onn slightly distorted his features, hiding any evidence of his sorrow. "That meeting was tedious."

J'onn turned around and bowed to the Queen. "It was not a problem, my lady."

Maxima frowned and sat next to him, staring at him with soft, vibrant green eyes. "I've told you before, J'onn, not to refer to me by my title. I get more than enough of that from the Court _._ " Her features pinched in response, "So, what did you do while I was in meetings?"

Images of Kal's broken expression flashed before his eyes and it took all of J'onn's willpower not to flinch as he relived the past hours in his mind. "Not a lot, Maxima," he lied quietly and then spoke a truth. "I've mostly been thinking."

A perfect eyebrow was raised, "Thinking about what, J'onn? I've never known you to be so… morose _._ "

J'onn winced as he was obviously caught, "All the mistakes that I've made. I... I left my home and haven't returned for years," he murmured, averting his eyes from beautiful yellow, orange skin. "My brother... he surely hates me. I know I do for what I do"

"Your brother, Kal?" Maxima asked, "When I read your mind, a person named 'Kal' was prominent in your thoughts along with whom I assume were your parents."

He swallowed in admittance, "Yeah, Kal. I've hurt him greatly with my actions and… I've been so selfish."

"Do you care for your brother?"

"I love him," he said simply, "but I'm afraid that- that my words and actions do not correspond."

Maxima leaned towards him and J'onn had to refrain from closing the distance between their bodies. "You know, I don't know what it is like to have a sibling; my father only sired me." She smiled suddenly and J'onn was taken aback by the utter beauty she conveyed through a simple gesture. "To be honest, I must admit that I feel envious of you, J'onn. You had a friend that you could always confide in since you can remember; you had a profound connection with someone." Her features became drawn, "I never had that," she said softly, staring into his eyes, "I was always alone; my father and the Court considered me a disgrace, and my mother died shortly after my birth. I've never had a true friend…" her green eyes stared down at her hands fisting the fabric of her dress. "It wasn't until you, J'onn, when I experienced a friendship. I can speak with you freely and I can be myself instead of the 'Queen' that the Court thinks I should be." She suddenly laughed, "You know, it's probably because you hail from a race of ants."

J'onn refrained from rolling his eyes, "Maybe, you could be happy with... an ant _._ " He said hesitantly. "Do you think?"

Maxima quieted and observed him with intelligent, aware eyes. "I wish that were true, J'onn. You are a great being; probably the best I've ever met. I do find you appealing as a potential mate, but you are from Earth; the Court and the people, and maybe even myself, would never support a... a union between us. I could face a threat to the crown, a rebellion." Her eyes clouded with sadness, "I could see myself loving you, but you... you are an ant _._ "

J'onn felt a myriad of emotions. A happiness that Maxima could see herself loving him and great sadness; he didn't deserve that love she spoke of. Look at what he had said to Kal, his own brother who he had loved for thirty years _._

He deserved to be unhappy; he deserved to be punished for his crimes against Kal and the potential union of he and Maxima was the universe's consequence to his actions. He could have revealed himself to be a Manhunter, but he didn't deserve to reveal himself. He deserved to be hailed as an ant, even though he was anything but, for the rest of his days for his crimes against his brother.

"I understand, Maxima," he stated solemnly. "Thank you for being honest. I, too, enjoy your friendship."

Maxima nodded and leaned over, kissing his cheek. "Thank you for letting me by true self around you, J'onn." She whispered in his ear, quickly standing up and turning around, "You are free to stay on Almerac as long as you wish." She called out and then, she was gone.

Just like J'onn's chances of reconciling with his brother, just like the potential love between him and Maxima.

He was resigned to his fate.

XxXxXxXxXxX

After explaining what had happened with the Joker because of Superman's interventions, Bruce had watched with an emotion akin to relief as Selina's eyes blazed with indignation. Her small hands clenched and the skin around her mouth morphed into a fierce frown. After several seconds, through clenched teeth, Selina had vocally approved of his plan; she finally saw Superman as the monster that would destroy humanity - just as Bruce had seen in his nightmare!

For the next weeks, she had supported him in a way that she had never done before; she finally saw the truth _._

Bruce would have preferred that Selina could have come to that epiphany because of the lives that Superman had stolen and the future that would come to pass, but the fact that his lover reacted out of a mother's vengeance was acceptable and understandable. Superman had interrupted Bruce's chase to kill the Joker and as a result, Jason, their son's murderer still roamed free throughout the Earth, terrorizing other innocents for the past weeks!

' _Next time when they shine your light in the sky, don't go to it.'_ That's what Superman had commanded to the weak mortal, but the weak mortal was ready, and he had discovered the false god's Achilles Heel.

Staring at Jason's suit, Bruce felt absolute determination flood his mind, his soul as he prepared to rid the world of Superman; he was going to save humanity from the future that he had seen! He had adorned the powerful armor that was designed for the mortal to slay the false god and focused solely on training in the suit for the next couple of months, acclimating to the added weight. His strength and durability were enhanced many, many times over thanks to the suit and armed with his Kryptonite spear, Bruce knew that it was time; the reckoning for Superman's actions in the future had begun and the false god could do nothing to stop the inevitable.

Superman would be destroyed.

Bruce would turn on his light, illuminating the sky with the symbol of the Bat, ignoring the false god's command. It didn't matter if Bruce had to wait for hours for Superman to arrive, he knew that, ultimately, his triumph had finally arrived; he could feel it with absolute certainty.

XxXxXxXxXxX

The night whipped around, basking in the freedom away from the light. The sun had just set, and the night shrieked with absolute happiness, relieved to be away from the accursed light. A stooped, threaded overcoat-wearing old man, features wizened from stressful days and nights, stared into the darkness. Working for his employer was hard work, but it was more than worth it.

He waited patiently as his old eyes scanned the night sky, knowing that anything to report to his employer that he chose not to divulge would result in no questions being asked; simply, an execution. That was the way of President Luthor, of the man who was going to save the world and only those who were aware of the risks, aware that their lives could be snuffed out because they themselves had failed to act as the President's messenger. They were all like himself: old men from the old days, from the wars that had ravaged the Earth and witnessed, firsthand, the depravity of mankind, forgotten by the world as it passed, ceasing to remember the heroes that had triumphed over the damned Nazis, whose lives were fading, only months ordained by God to live from age, disease, or even both.

The President permitted no risks whatsoever, the simple, single consolation being that if one died in his service - or by his hand - money would find its way to old women, children of the old women, or their children's children. There was a certain… dignity and pride in working for the President, becoming his secret, invisible eyes and ears throughout the world. That was something that President Luthor's small army of dying old men understood; he had given each and every one of them a chance to die with a purpose, given them a purpose to the end of their lives.

Suddenly, a pillar of light shot into the sky and the night screeched in agony. The aged messenger gazed upon the Bat symbol highlighting the darkness with a small, pale blast of blue. The old man almost snorted in derision; the Bat was a symbol that was supposed to strike fear in the hearts of criminals, but since the arrival of Cain, criminals ceased to be fearful of the Bat.

His bony, paper-thin hands fumbled in the pocket of his overcoat, trying to grasp the slim, metallic device that was programmed to call his employer. Several seconds passed, and with a grunt of effort through his thin lips, the simple cell phone appeared out of the darkness of his pocket. His finger shook as he pressed the button and gingerly placed the phone against his ear, staring at the Bat's beam of light.

Buzzing entered his ancient auditory passages until it ended; his employer had answered. The messenger shuddered out a breath, "Ex nihilo nihil fit," he said.

" _Ex nihilo nihil fit, nothing comes from nothing,"_ a voice, almost lazy-like, but full of charm and ambition resounded. _"Are your days comfortable?"_

"They draw to an end," the messenger replied, giving the proper response to his employer, the man who will save the Earth. "But they are, of course, made more than tolerable."

The voice chuckled, sending deep and vibrant sounds into the messenger's wrinkled ears. _"Good, good. It's important to have a sense of security for yourself and loved ones at your advanced age."_ The voice paused and became serious, _"Now, to business. What particulars do you have to report?"_

The messenger's old eyes slowly glanced at the Bat symbol, "The Bat's light is shining."

" _Excellent,"_ the voice hissed like a viper and the messenger was reminded that his employer was one of the most dangerous and ruthless humans in the land of the living. _"The trap has been snapped and the Bat and Cain were snared by its irresistible bait. Lane did well in his choice of venue for the Clown, and now, things are progressing nicely. Vincit qui se vincit: he conquers who conquers himself. I have made certain of that. Now, here are my instructions. Are you ready?"_

The old man reached into his pocket and with fragile fingers, grasped the stub of a pencil and pulled it out. He gently placed the tool on his old ear and reached into his other pocket, slowly stretching into the darkness for a scrap of paper. "Here to serve."

" _Contact Lane. I want him ready for his role in the inevitable. Also, Lane is to reach Orm in Atlantis, notifying him. Lastly, I need our-"_

"Please," the old man interrupted, barely holding the phone against his shoulder as he tried to write down his employer's directions. "These old hands are not as resourceful as they once were; they're quite cumbersome in many ways."

His employer paused, _"Forgive me,"_ the voice slithered into his ears, trapping the aged messenger with its utter sincerity. _"I'm preoccupied and thus, inconsiderate. I'm sorry."_

The old man was once again reminded of the generosity that his employer distributed; he could not have wished for a better way to live out the remainder of his days. "Nonsense, nonsense. Go ahead."

" _Finally,_ _I want our team stationed at the airport, taking every room available. Pete Ross - a slightly obese redhead - is to be captured alive, no signs of injuries. Through this, Cain's reckoning will begin; the night has come."_

XxXxXxXxXxX

Pete Ross knew that he had seen the janitor's face before, but he just couldn't place where it was he had previously seen him. He recognized him, but the janitor stared at him blankly, almost coldly. Beneath a beat-up ball cap, combed over gray hair peeked out from the hat. The man was hunched over and his dark eyes followed Pete's movements. He knew the sooner he could leave the airport, the sooner he would no longer be flooded with foreboding.

He had noticed the man, the old janitor, had been tailing him, following Pete as he tracked down his luggage and then as he went to find his car. Eventually, he stopped in the parking garage and looked around, disheveled eyes scanning the darkness.

Where was the old janitor?

Surely, he must be paranoid; the scene in Africa continuously flashed through his mind's eye. Since the massacre, Pete had been detained by South African officials in an investigation of the village, and was, eventually, released as no leads had been concluded except that Superman had killed the village.

It was insane!

Clark hadn't done that, and Pete had furiously tried to clear his friend's name, pleading with the large, muscled men to accept Pete's version of the events as the absolute truth, but despite using every journalism technique he had ever learned from Mr. White to receive the answers, the African officials would not waver. Then when he arrived back to the States, Superman was loathed almost universally because of an attack on Congress that people blamed on Superman. Clark's name was scorned with hate while the person behind everything was content to seemingly do nothing.

And then he saw a blur out of the corner of his eyes. Pete, startled, turned towards the blur and saw a large van barreling towards him. Eyes wide, he jumped to the side as the van rushed past him. Pete opened his mouth, aching to relieve the irritation that curdled in his gut, but paused as he was about to yell, mind becoming numb. In almost slow motion, the van immediately skidded to a stop, tires screeching against the parking garage, black tread marks staining the once gray flooring.

That wasn't what had drawn his attention. The back of the van was open, light accentuating three dark figures in a demonic light. Three guns were pointed at him and Pete swallowed as men from the front of the van hopped out, pistols in hand, and strode towards him, eyes cold.

Just as he was about to flee, something was pressed against the back of his head. He recognized the feeling from his moment with Amajagh - a gun.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." A well-accented, dark voice said and a grip of iron landed on his shoulder, clamping around his bones, grinding them together mercilessly. "I commend you for the thought, but it is frivolous, Mr. Ross." The dark voice sounded amused as if the thought of Pete somehow escaping was a joke.

Pete shuddered, fear coursing through his body in realization as these men knew who he was, knew his name! He slowly raised his hands in a gesture of surrender, resignation weighing him down.

Whoever had sabotaged Clark in Africa wanted Pete, perhaps his head, but it didn't matter; Pete would never share Clark's information with anyone. He would die before these cowards discovered Superman's identity!

"Get in," the well-accented voice ordered and Pete swallowed, hesitantly, fearfully stepping into the back of the van. One of the men jabbed him in the ribs harshly with his gun and Pete doubled over in pain. He dimly saw the man who had jabbed him open his mouth, blackened teeth glimmering like obsidian in the light of the truck when Pete felt the gun on the back of his head disappear. Half of the man's head suddenly exploded in a shower of red mist, splatters of blood spraying into Pete's face.

He blinked, ears ringing from the noise, eyes wide with horror as he stared at the man who no longer held a recognizable head; eyes that were once bright with malice were now wide, dead, lifeless. Half of the man's skull was simply flapping in the darkness, dark blood staining the gray floor, obliterated brain exposed for everyone to view.

Pete swiftly vomited, trying to physically purge that image out of his mind. "Why would you do that? You killed him!"

The darkly-voiced man, who had killed the other man, placed the gun back to Pete's head. "You are strange, Mr. Ross." The voice sounded confused, "That man was about to beat you, inflicting lifelong wounds and you are distraught that I killed him?"

"You shouldn't kill somebody!" Pete exclaimed, knowing that, deep down, the real reason that he was so distraught was that the man had been killed right in front of him.

"Huh. Lane would demote you for that remark." The man chuckled and Pete frowned. 'Lane' was a name that he had heard of before, but where?

"You're damn right I would." A commanding voice said from behind them. The man holding the gun to Pete's head said something so quietly that Pete was unable to hear the words.

He finally saw the new voice and he closed his eyes when he saw that it was the old janitor. Before, the man had been hunched over, looking like a small gust of wind would break him, but now, he stood tall, and his presence commanded respect. Pete finally recognized the man. General Samuel Lane had been one of the most outspoken figures in Washington that condemned Superman's actions and had made no secret of his intense hatred for, in the General's words, the alien invader. Now, the man was staring at him in disgust, eyes somehow curling back as if they couldn't stand the sight of Pete.

The gun suddenly pushed him forward and Pete sat down on the seat. He was shoved into the corner where there was no escape. He finally glimpsed the murderer. Dark, curious eyes stared back at him from a small, tightly-muscled form. The man was wearing tactical gear and carried himself with poise.

"Remember," Lane called out, staring at the other men in the van who were discarding the body, tossing it carelessly into the parking garage. "Our directions explicitly stated that there were to be no signs of injury on Mr. Ross, dumbasses. If any of you attempt to harm him, you will receive the same consequence as our dearly-departed Frederick. Understood?" The General asked calmly, sitting next to Pete.

The men nodded in agreement and Pete watched as the well-accented man poured water onto Frederick's body and the other lit a match. Eyes widened in realization as the man dropped the lit match onto Frederick's soaked body.

What Pete had thought was water was actually gasoline _._

In a roar of flames, Frederick's body had begun the process of cremation. Smoke filled Pete's nostrils and nausea spread through his stomach at the thought of the smoke being littered with human flesh.

The man with the accent chuckled loudly, hopping back into the van. He sat on the bench across from Pete, "Ahh, you'll get used to it," he reassured, well-accented voice cheerful, but eyes cold _._ "Don't worry, none of us liked Frederick. He was a dick, a prideful cunt as you all say in America. They are the worst kind... To be honest," the man hummed, staring into Pete's eyes, "I probably would have killed him anyway. When he jabbed you, that was my opportunity. I saw it and took it." The man suddenly pulled out a bottle of alcohol and opened it without a grunt of effort. He tipped it towards the direction of Frederick's body as the van began to drive off, "May Frederick's rest in hell be turbulent, painful, and memorable." He said and took a deep swig of the alcohol.

"That's something I'll drink to; give me that damn bottle." Lane reached out and grasped the bottle, bringing it to his thin lips.

Pete wanted to wake up from this abhorrent nightmare that his mind had created. He truly hoped that Clark would come to his rescue once again, but he had the feeling that the only reason why he was captured was for a trap. A trap that was designed by whoever had killed that village; they wanted Clark and they knew that they could reach him through Pete.

"You know," the well-accented man suddenly said. "It isn't often that our boss wants us to not kill someone." He leaned forward and Pete could smell the alcohol on the man's breath, "What makes you, a reporter, so special?" His dark eyes gleamed with knowledge and answers that Pete sought.

"What do you want?" Pete ignored the question and asked one of his own, looking at General Lane. "Who is your boss? Why does he want you to not kill me? And, most importantly, why are you, a five-star General of the United States military, working with murderers?"

Lane's lips curled back in a malicious snarl, "Says the one who is too blind to see the truth."

"What truth?" Pete demanded, wishing they would just say it.

The well-accented man chuckled darkly and the repugnant smell of alcoholic breath filled Pete's nose as he turned towards the man, "Reporters." The murderer shook his head in disdain, "Always asking questions that they shouldn't. Do you know something? I hate reporters." Pete swallowed and leaned back as far as he could, yearning to be away from that man's murderous, cold eyes. "So nosy and arrogant; they're vultures. They think that they have power because they can go places that most people can't, but they couldn't be more arrogant, more naive." The man leaned forward more, inches between him and Pete, "They don't know true power, Mr. Ross. Our boss does and thanks to you, the boss will achieve his triumph over Cain _._ Even he cannot stop the inevitable, what is coming _._ My employer has waited for this moment, dreamt of the death of Cain for many nights and days _._ "

"Just as I have," Lane growled, leaning into Pete with murderous eyes, "That fuckin' parasite killed my daughter and many more! I will avenge them, and rid this world of Cain _-_ the Father of Murder!"

Pete frowned, "Cain?" He echoed incredulously, "Who is Cain? I've never known anybody named 'Cain' in my whole life! How the hell do I fit in with all of this? Why did you kidnap me?"

"You do know, Mr. Ross. You just don't know the truth as my boss does and just as General Lane does."

Lane reached into his pocket and pulled out a pair of glasses. He reached into his other pocket and a handkerchief covered the General's scarred hands. He began cleaning the glasses, focusing on the lens. "I would like nothing more than to kill you, Mr. Ross. People like you are what is wrong with this great country. You only see what you want to see instead of seeing the truth."

"And what truth is that, sir," he asked, shoving his fear down, willing to risk his safety so that he could have answers, so that Clark could have answers.

Lane smirked, leaning back away from Pete, adjusting his position for comfortability on the hard, grated seating. "You'll see," was all the General said and before Pete could react the well-accented man blurred forward, and a large, thick black bag was placed over his head.

They didn't want him to know where he was.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal was thankful that he was a Kryptonian because if he wasn't, he was certain that he would be dead from Diana's rigorous gauntlet that she put him through, forcing him to train as she had as a child. It was advantageous though. It had helped him keep his mind off of J'onn. He was broken and only through Diana's help, was Kal able to function normally. For the past weeks, Kal had learned Amazon fighting techniques and with Diana's help, was able to master the basics in hand-to-hand and swordsmanship.

It helped to have a perfect memory.

Diana had beamed at him and rewarded him for several hours. After their intense throes of passion, she had laid on his chest, fingers gently rubbing circles into his muscles. Then, in a whisper, she had declared that they weren't going to fight Ares and the other Celestials until Kal could defeat her in a match of martial arts.

Now, they were in the fighting arena on Themyscira. It was hundreds of football fields in length and miles high with rocks, grass, sand, and trees decorating the field. Kal stood on one side in his suit and held soultaker in one hand. Since Kelex had shown him the sword in the weapons hall, Kal had been hesitant to admit that he liked using the weapon; he was pretty sure that Diana knew based on the way her eyes sparkled whenever she was teaching him fighting techniques.

"Are you ready, Kal?" Diana called from the other side of the arena, armor coating her beautiful form.

Kal swung his sword to the side and nodded. Diana had specified that there was to be no heat vision, flight, frost breath, or hurricane breath; he was only allowed to use his strength, speed, and senses.

He saw Diana's eyes grow heated and she bolted forward, dashing across the terrain with utter grace. Kal matched her pace and suddenly leaped upward, falling towards the ground like a comet, sword raised above his head.

He landed in a shockwave of power and his sword clashed against Diana's. His lover's jaw was clenched and she was shaking with the effort of holding him, knees bending heavily. Suddenly, her right leg lashed out and snapped against Kal's own leg.

He stumbled and Diana rolled back, feet planted in the soil. She dashed forward, clashing against soultaker with ferocity. Kal parried all her strikes and saw an opening. Diana, in a flash of speed, swung her sword towards Kal's midsection. He tilted soultaker and Diana's sword overextended. He saw her eyes widen as she realized her mistake. Kal swiftly bent his elbow, knocking the hilt of soultaker against the hilt of Diana's sword. The sword was dropped and Kal was unable to keep the smile from lighting his face.

Diana suddenly smirked and Kal was wary of that smirk; he had seen it before. With a gesture of her fingers, a powerful shield formed in her hands. "Ares will not yield until you kill him, Kal, none of them will." She rushed forward and slammed the shield into Kal's dumbstruck hands.

That hurt and Kal's numb hands dropped soultaker, putting ground between him and Diana; she didn't let him and flew at him with a kick. He batted it aside and punched in her armor, sending her back hundreds of yards. He blitzed forward, leaping over her sweeping kick; he landed on top of her, faces inches apart.

"I think that you won, Kal," Diana whispered, eyes alight with affection and life.

Kal leaned down, kissing her softly, tenderly. "Well, I had a good teacher," he gently kissed down to her neck, sucking softly at the smooth skin.

"Kal." Diana moaned, protesting, "We shouldn't- " she gasped as he kissed the swell of her breasts, aching to tear away the armor.

"We should, Diana," Kal whispered against her skin and continued his ministrations, Diana holding his head in place.

She deserved to be rewarded for being a great teacher.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Wally West grinned as he slurped his milkshake, using his superspeed to write down all of the evidence that he had found while on his latest case for the Central City Police Department. As a crime scene investigator, Wally was allowed to find the bad guys as the Flash through the clues that he discovered from a crime scene. Staring down at his paper, he was befuddled by the lack of clues that had been discovered in this one. It was a strange case, fascinating in all honesty. It detailed a man, Jasper Leeland who was a higher-up in the government who was staying at Central City's main hotel and was found, by the maid in the morning, dead in his room.

He had been shot in the throat.

Wally had been able to see the body up close and had to admit that it was a gruesome sight. He had seen a lot since he had started his internship with the police department after his father died in prison, but that man's corpse was something that he doubted he would ever forget. Blood had flowed down from the man's blown away throat, running down Leeland's crisp, white shirt like a red tie. Fingers were curled into the floor, desperately trying to hold on to the land of the living, anchoring himself to ward off the call of death. It had almost seemed like the man had been executed in a way. The killing shot, in the throat, was an excruciating way to die. The man had been in agony in his final moments on Earth and Wally felt genuinely bad for the guy. He knew that he had to stop this murderer, whoever he was before he killed any more innocent people.

He doubted that the government worker was truly innocent, but it didn't matter. That man didn't deserve to die and Wally was going to bring justice to the murderer. Looking down at his clues that he had scrawled on his yellow notepad, he had no idea how he was going to do that. The bullet was reported as untraceable and all that he had found was that it had been fired from a silenced pistol. The killer had been someone who the government worker obviously knew because the gun had been fired at close range, no more than a few feet distanced.

In the orphanage, which he still visited because he loved it, when he and the other children played outside, a lot of shady characters loitered around the neighborhood. As a result, Wally had come to know the distance between a close gunshot wound and a long-range one.

He tossed his milkshake away after he was finished and put his head in his hands, threading his fingers through his red hair. He didn't know what to do. He could call Batman, but based on how the Bat had been treating the League at their last meeting almost a year ago, Wally was terrified to even contemplate the idea. Hal was off-world and had been for well over a year and Wally had no idea how to contact Arthur. His best bet would be to call Diana and Clark. The only problem was that he hadn't heard from either of them since the Congress bombing.

He didn't believe for a second what the world declared about one of his only friends in the world and his mentor/father figure. Clark would never let the bombing happen if he had known about it. For the past couple of months, Wally had been calling every day but had never received a response from either of them. To be honest, he was afraid that they had left Earth, journeying to a planet that would actually be thankful for their protection; he truly hoped that wasn't the case because he needed them in his life.

Wally stood up and watched the news report. ' _Superman = Death!_ ' was the headline on the station as the faces of all the victims from the Congress bombing flashed across the screen, as they had for the past months, now. Wally knew that, sadly, things could only get worse for his two friends before they got better. Most of the entire world demanded Superman's death with President Lex Luthor spearheading the calls. Riot, alien hate groups banded together and had taken the nation by storm, gathering supporters every day the longer Superman wasn't seen _._ Innocent people have been killed during alien-purge movements and Superman has been blamed for all of them even though he wasn't involved. Wally had tried to do what he could to stop the riots, but it was like putting out a wildfire in a large forest.

It was everywhere.

He felt his phone buzz in his pocket and with a grunt of annoyance, Wally plucked it out of his jeans. He didn't even glance at the caller id, "Yello?" He drawled.

 _"Wally?"_ Wally's jaw dropped and he looked around, checking to make sure that nobody was watching him. He blurred out of the building and appeared in his small apartment.

It was Diana.

"Wonder Babe! Where have you been? I haven't been able to get in touch for over a month!" He cried out, "I've been worried! How is Supes doing?"

" _Wally, I need you to travel to Smallville, Kansas. Okay? Kal and I are going to reveal something to you that nobody else knows."_ Abruptly, Diana hung up.

Wally frowned and dropped his phone on the couch, wondering why on God's green Earth would Diana want him to go to Kansas? He knew that it had to be important so he placed a call into his boss and told him that he felt the flu beginning to ravage his body and that he would need to take a few days off.

Then, he grabbed his Flash suit and ran to Kansas.

XxXxXxXxXxX

For the past couple of months, J'onn had walked through the palace of Almerac in a daze of sorrow, feeling like a broken shell of who he once was. He had traveled to his ship many a time, wishing that he could go back to that moment and fix it. His emotions had clouded his judgment and as a result, J'onn had shunned the only person who had always been there for him. Kelor had asked him if he wanted to use the Phantom Drive to teleport back to Earth, but J'onn could never bring himself to answer. He was terrified of facing his brother again after that day, after J'onn had torn into his brother with poisonous words of furious hate. He was afraid that Kal would retort with poisonous words as well. He was afraid that his brother would take J'onn's words seriously and cease to think of them as brothers; it would be his own fault.

Currently, the only thing that kept him going was Maxima. Despite her candid statement that they could never work as mates, J'onn yearned for her presence and took every opportunity to speak with her that he could. It was like things hadn't changed, but everything had changed. Maxima had shared that in the past weeks, since their conversation in the gardens about marriage and Kal, the Court had declared that she must pick a worthy husband in only a couple of weeks or her position as Queen would be revoked. Apparently, Maxima's father, in his will, had specified the ruling as his final act. Maxima could do nothing to rescind the act, or she would be viewed as a traitorous Queen to her people.

J'onn had been wholly tempted to reveal himself as a Manhunter, show Maxima who he really was, but he didn't deserve to. After his fight with his brother, J'onn didn't deserve to be happy. He knew that he should go to Earth immediately but he was a coward. He couldn't face his brother after their last encounter. What could he say? Apologize? How could J'onn apologize for what he had done?

With the coming of Maxima's marriage to someone, J'onn knew that he would need to leave Almerac. Despite enjoying the planet for the past many months, he couldn't stay and watch the Queen he loved marry someone else. Maybe, he would journey back to Ma'aleca'andra and discover more about the planet upon from which he hailed. He deserved to be alone on the planet that he was born on. He had shunned his brother, the greatest person in his life. J'onn was unable to keep Kal's devastated eyes from haunting him. He had briefly wondered if he could erase his own mind, ridding himself of that horrible day, but he didn't try to.

He deserved to suffer from the memories.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Darkness was prominent among the murky depths upon which the man with fins sprouting from the sides of his head journeyed. For too long, he had been forced to the sidelines as his half-brother ruled their people.

His name was Orm, Prince of Atlantis and the second son of its former King.

Upon the moment he had been born, since the moment that Orm could remember, he had thought that he was to be the King of Atlantis one day after his father's demise. Apparently, to not only his shock but to the entire kingdom's as well, his father had sired a bastard with a surface-dweller before Orm's birth with nobody the wiser. That was the moment when Orm knew that he was happy to have orchestrated the death of his father. His father had sired him at a very young age for their species, hardly into adulthood. Upon reaching his own adulthood, Orm realized that he was never going to inherit the throne and thus, the Trident _._ By the time his father would meet his demise, Orm would be right on his fins; he would only die a few years later. Thus, the crown would skip a generation and Orm's children would instead bear the mantle of King.

Orm despised that thought.

Thus, he confided with his uncle, who was also a second-born son, of his plight; through many conversations, uncle and nephew created a pact. Orm himself didn't have the strength to kill his father, but his uncle did _._ Orm secretly helped organize the rebellion against his father, making sure that nobody would foresee the coming changes to Atlantis' leadership.

The rebellion was a success and his uncle faced his father in battle and his father fell. Orm was elated for he could finally ascend to the throne as was his birthright! Something unexpected had derailed that plan. He hadn't foreseen his uncle taking the throne for himself. That bastard had outsmarted Orm and that was humiliating. Orm had tried to instigate another rebellion, but it was to no avail. His uncle had nipped that problem in the bud. Then, shocking everyone, a surface-dweller named Arthur Curry had arrived with a lowly servant, declaring his rightful place as King, as the firstborn of Orm's father, the true heir to the Trident and throne of Atlantis _._

Before Orm or his uncle could object, Mera had supplied evidence that supported Curry's claims. Orm, at that moment, vowed eternal revenge on that whore and knew that she would be the first to experience his unholy rage. Just as he was about to inform Curry of his illegitimacy, his uncle stepped off his perch, glaring into Curry's ocean-like eyes.

Then, to Orm's astonishment, Curry, apparently having been briefed by Mera, challenged their uncle to a duel for the throne, and thus, the Trident. He stated that as a newly-crowned ruler, his uncle needed something that would prove his worth as a warrior and Orm knew that his uncle would accept.

There was nothing that he could do to stop the duel.

Orm had watched, ashen-faced, heart boiling with hatred, as his half-brother slew their uncle in grandiose fashion, summoning the Trident to his hand and had declared himself the King of Atlantis. To everyone's surprise, nobody objected and thus, Arthur Curry was the King of the Atlanteans. When demands for the surface-dwellers to be given retribution for their continuous poisoning of the world's oceans, Orm had thought he could do the same thing to Curry that he had done to their father.

Alas, nothing worked out as Orm had intended. When a revolt seemed inevitable, his half-brother joined the Justice League, a superhero team of surface-dwellers, and soon, the oceans were cleaned and more than the majority of Atlantis was happy. All hopes that he had had for the throne dissipated like melted ice. The Trident - gone! Becoming King of Atlantis, as was his birthright - gone! His brother had never even made an effort to appease him, not realizing that because of him, Orm's dreams were destroyed.

He truly hated his half-brother. For countless days and nights, he had concocted strategies that would triumph over his bastard of a brother, facilitating Orm's rise to the Trident, but nothing yielded results. The citizens of Atlantis adored Curry, and the palace guards would never attempt to help a treasonous plan be perfected.

Orm, through sheer luck, had, eventually, become in contact with the surface-dwellers' leader, a man named Lex Luthor who loathed the being they call 'Superman' and Orm saw an opportunity. For Orm's assistance with finding the xenomineral nuggets, Lex would help Orm with killing his half-brother. Then, Ares and Sam Lane had joined their crusade of vengeance against those who had slighted them. Plans were created and retconned, evolved to better fit all of their purposes. With everyone's contributions, all of them would soon have their retribution and would become the most powerful beings on Earth.

Blazing through the ocean like a fallen comet, Orm smiled gleefully in the murky darkness. "You took everything from me, brother, and now, I will take everything from you; it's an eye for an eye."

XxXxXxXxXxX

Wally stopped in a blaze of dust on the outskirts of Smallville, Kansas, pulling out his phone from his backpack. He called the last known dial and placed the phone to his ear, red hair tickling against his skin. "Hey, Wonder Babe, I'm on the outskirts of Smallville. Where do I go from here? The farm? I don't really feel like checking everything in this territory if that's not the case." He frowned when he didn't receive a response and checked to make sure that it was connected. It was; it showed that Diana was still connected to him and Wally grew concerned. "Hello? Diana?" He raised his voice, beginning to panic as he didn't want to lose someone else!

He had already lost both his parents and still felt sad that he never got to have a personal connection with either of them. Although he was only four-years-old when his mother was murdered, he was still able to remember the flashes of yellow lightning. He could remember that, but not his mother. All he had were pictures that showed him a beautiful woman who seemingly loved her son. He felt emotions upon gazing at the images, but it wasn't the connection that he knew other children had with their parents. He had, eventually, found that connection with Diana and Clark. They understood his loss, probably more than he ever could, and encouraged him through his lowest points. In a way, they were kind of his new parents.

He was about to blaze through Smallville, looking everywhere when he felt it. A tingle in the air, a single shift like a flame on the edge of his consciousness. It was the same feeling that he always felt when he turned on a light switch - electricity.

Lightning.

He turned around and sagged in relief when both Clark and Diana stood behind him in plain civilian clothes; he realized that the tingle that he felt was coming from Diana.

He blurred forward and hugged Clark tightly, wincing at the ache in his chest when their bodies slightly collided. "It's so good to see you, Clark." He pulled back and saw that his friend looked tired. Not physically; Wally doubted Clark Kent could even tire through physical means, but the cerulean blue eyes staring back at Wally showcased the weariness that mentally inflicted Clark.

Despite it, Clark smiled, "It's good to see you as well, Wally. How are your cases going?"

"They were all going well until this last one." Wally threw his hands up, "A government-worker, Jasper Leeland was seemingly executed in a hotel room and I've gotten nowhere!" He zipped over and hugged Diana, "So, what was the big reveal that nobody else knows?" He asked, slightly excited about the prospect of being trusted by the two people who he most looked up to.

They exchanged glances, "Meet us at the house." They bolted off of the ground into the sky and Wally shrugged, zipping towards the Kent farmhouse.

XxXxXxXxXxX

The speedster was in disbelief, "What do you mean that Ares is real?" He rapidly shook his head, discerning the faces of his friends for any signs of a prank, but found none. "Wait, you're serious?" He screeched, standing up, "So, let me get this straight: You, Diana hail from a race that is descended from Krypton and that race was known as the Amazons. Next, the Celestials that Hal had said were eradicated by Krypton are actually still existing on Earth! Now you tell me that the Greek myths are actually a cover-story for the Celestials so that they could stay hidden from the Eradicators." Wally couldn't believe how much the history of humanity had been manipulated, "Next, you're the daughter of Zeus and the granddaughter of Aphrodite! Then, the Amazons are no more because of Ares and now, Zeus and the elder Olymp- sorry, I mean, Celestials are dead!" He collapsed back into the chair, "Was that everything?"

He watched Clark and Diana exchange a glance, "Not exactly," Clark said slowly, "but that was most of everything and really, it's all that matters for now."

Wally breathed deeply, sorting through the overload of information that he was presented. For several moments, silence reigned supreme through the house as the speedster calmed himself.

"So, why did you call me?" He asked, leaning forward, ready to help in any way that he could.

Diana smiled and Wally almost melted, "The Celestials are strong in number and powerful beings. We need your help. Your speed would be invaluable in this fight." The two lovers shared another look, "As you surely know, Hermes was hailed as the deity of speed in Greek mythology. Kal would have his hands full with the other Celestials and I... I will be facing Ares." She hissed his name out in contempt and Wally shivered at the intensity coloring her voice, "If you accept, you can fight Hermes and whoever is left."

Licking his suddenly dry lips, Wally gathered his courage. He would not let his greatest friends, the two people he most looked up to, down. "All right, I'm in. Let's kick some Celestial ass!" A thought occurred to him and Wally grinned, "Do you think that Aphrodite would be up for a little… mid-battle debauchery?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

Clark laughed loudly and leaned away from Diana's half-hearted slap to the arm, "Maybe if you ask nicely, Wally."

Wally's good mood swiftly faded and the speedster swallowed, feeling all of his nervousness bear down on him. He was about to fight gods out of Greek mythology! Despite his anxiety, he was also excited. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity! How many people got to say that they were face-to-face with Hermes? Looking at his friends, his mentors, Wally knew that no matter what was going to happen, he wouldn't regret offering his help. Maybe, once this whole Celestial ordeal was over, they could help him with his Jasper Leeland case.

Ares and whoever had murdered Mr. Leeland were going to face justice and Wally was going to make sure that it happened.

XxXxXxXxXxX

 **Well, that's all for this chapter, folks! It was really fun to write and I hope you enjoyed it! Please, remember to leave a review, rather it is positive or negative, I would really appreciate It.**

 **Here's what happened in this chapter:**

 ****There are some time skips in this chapter. In case you are confused, by the end of the chapter, over a couple of months have passed since the Congress bombing and Kal and J'onn's argument.**

 ****Bruce and Selina discuss his vendetta against Superman and Bruce uses some of Lex Luthor's quotes from** _ **Batman v Superman.**_ **I think that it would be realistic for a regular human like Bruce Wayne, who is** **continuously** **haunted by the murder of his parents, to be angry at Superman for not saving his parents.** **That** **night was where** **everything** **began for Bruce, where the pain consumed him and hatred drowned his heart. That night is responsible for the monster that he has become and, deep down, Bruce doesn't like who he has become, but he is too stubborn to admit it. Selina eventually relents and reluctantly agrees to stay by his side.**

 **(The quote about 'fat Henry' from Bruce was a real life happening. King Henry VIII, England's most notorious King, had separated himself from the Catholic Church so that he could marry his second wife, Anne Boleyn in the hopes that he could finally have a legitimate heir - a son. Then, he declared himself the Supreme Head of the Church of England. Thomas More, once a friend to the King, argued with the decision and was eventually arrested for the refusal to swear an oath of succession repudiating the Pope and accepting the annulment of Henry's first marriage to Catherine of Aragon. More was tried for treason and executed by beheading. His decapitated head was placed atop the London Bridge for many months as a sign to the peasants and Nobles and Court that King Henry VIII wasn't messing around.)**

 **Then, the Joker appears and Bruce tracks him down, finding him at the pier. The military is there and Bruce has to be really careful. I think that Bruce Wayne would have the utmost respect for soldiers in the military. He protects Gotham at the risk of his own life just like the soldiers in the military do except they protect the entire country. Bruce might hate A.R.G.U.S., but that more had to do with Waller and the figureheads who are pulling the strings, ordering soldiers what to do. Upon entering the building, Bruce walks into a trap and barely survives, listening to the Joker's mocking voice and blows up the entire pier in the hope that the Joker would die. It doesn't work and the Joker is still breathing, forcing Bruce to chase him down which leads to the chase scene in** _ **Batman v Superman**_ **with a few changes.**

 **In this story, I wanted Kal to show up with a true purpose. In** _ **Batman v Superman**_ **, it was kind of random though awesome, so I added** **how** **Kal found out about the destruction that Bruce had caused. He doesn't want to turn Bruce over to the authorities so he gives him** **one warning** **, "Next time when they shine your light in the sky, don't go to it. The Bat is dead. Bury it. Consider this mercy, Bruce." Bruce absolutely loathes Superman at that moment because, in his opinion, Superman was siding with the Joker. (Remeber, Batman is mentally disturbed in this story.) Although Kal doesn't even** **know** **about Jason or what happened, Bruce sees Superman** **stopping** **him from his revenge, from the blood he justly deserves to shed. The Joker's blackened heart still beat and Bruce blames Superman for the reason that it does.**

 **When Bruce reveals what happened to Selina, she loses her own sense of logical reasoning. Jason was her son** **no matter if he wasn't hers through natural blood. She wasn't there when Jason was raped and then killed by the Joker. She was forced to hear from Bruce what had happened.** **That** **is something that she would** **always** **regret. She wasn't there to protect her child when he needed her most. Simply put, she blames herself as Bruce blames himself. Now, the Joker is still alive because of Superman's intervention; she and Bruce were unable to receive that desperately-needed** **closure** **because of Kal. She is a mama bear: fierce and protective and now she wants Superman to understand what happens when you mess with her cub; the revenge for Jason was halted by his presence.**

 ****Kal and Diana have to discover the location for Olympus and find that it lies… in** **Mount Everest!** **I know that it's cheesy to have Olympus in Everest, but, to be honest, there was really no other place that I could think of. Olympus** **must** **be hidden from the humans and I wasn't going the _Percy Jackson_ route by having it at the top of the Empire State Building. Realistically, the best option is Everest. In ancient times, the Greeks believed Olympus to be atop a towering mountain, practically floating in the sky. I know that Greece and Mount Everest are thousands of miles, continents away from each other, but you could say that Olympus moved, creating a new place because the humans knew ****too much** **about them and might have discovered the truth. You never know...**

 **Diana wants Kal to learn some basic fighting moves so he has a chance during his battles with the Celestials. Then, they ask about weapons and 'soultaker' is revealed via Kelex. I** **know** **that soultaker is in** _ **Suicide Squad**_ **and is in the possession of Tatsu Yamashiro, but I wanted a sword that would fit in with Krypton's heavily advanced weapons. I know that I said that the Celestials were brains, but the Kryptonians believed them to be souls and their essence would reform in a new body. The Kryptonian fighting styles are made up except Torquasm-Rao and props to you if you recognized what I did with Tyr-Zod. In Norse Mythology, Tyr was the war deity. In Krypton, it seemed that the greatest warrior-designed guilds were descended from the House of Zod.**

 ****J'onn is guilt-stricken and is determined to be unhappy because of how he treated his brother. Maxima does reveal potential feelings but disregards it because J'onn is from Earth and thus, an ant. He hasn't revealed that he is a Manhunter because he is ashamed at what he did, wishing for a way where he could go back and fix it, but he cannot. Maxima reveals that the Court has forced her to find a worthy husband or she will no longer be Queen. Man, life just keeps kicking J'onn while he's down.**

 **If you think he is acting out of character, remember that J'onn is now all alone because he thinks Kal hates him; he is going through a different character arc. Maxima doesn't know that he is a Manhunter, and cannot help him because to be blunt, she has her own problems to deal with. J'onn is, basically, mourning. Because of his actions, he** **thinks** **that he lost his brother. Eventually, he'll snap out of it, but grief can last a** **long** **time, and** **that's** **what J'onn is dealing with.**

 ****Lex Luthor has secret, invisible eyes and ears through the country, even the world. That scene and idea were inspired by the** _ **Old Men of Paris**_ **in Robert Ludlum's** _ **The Bourne Identity**_ **, but I changed it in a way that would fit in with this story. Lex then orders Pete Ross to be captured and the redhead is kidnapped by Sam Lane, some henchmen, and witnesses the death of one of the thugs.**

 ****Wally West works for the Central City Police Department as a crime scene investigator. Basically, it's the same thing that Barry Allen** **used** **to do in** _ **The Flash**_ **TV show. Keep in mind that Wally is only 21 or 22-years-old in this story. Really, he's only a** **kid** **and is** **still** **learning about the world and the utter darkness that the world can throw at someone. His origin story is the same as Barry Allen's in the show, but he was** **really young** **when that happened and, mostly, suppressed the memories of that night. His dad was in jail but died for unknown reasons. There are** **a lot of** **worse things that could happen to Wally West, to be blunt. He didn't** **actually** **see his mother murdered like Bruce Wayne. Although it** **truly sucks** **that Wally's dad was thrown in jail, the scarring isn't deep because Wally was a young child, barely four-years-old. He doesn't really remember his parents. The emotional trauma isn't really there because he and his parents never necessarily had that emotional connection. Don't get me wrong, he** **feels** **the loss of his parents, but not at all to the degree that Batman does.**

 **Kal and Diana, in Wally's mind, have sort of become his new parents. When Wally joined the League, he was only 18-years-old, if that, a** **kid** **fighting evil. Diana sort of took him under her wing but wasn't really the best mentor because she had her own grief that afflicted her. It wasn't until Kal appeared when Diana and Wally finally had the healing process begin. Diana then came to be the mother figure that she is known to be in the comics and Wally was in awe of Kal, like all sons are in awe of their father.** **And** **since the Black Zero event, J'onn and Hal have been off-planet, Arthur has stayed in the seas, and Bruce has been** **obsessed** **with anger towards Kal. Wally was the only League member that was truly around and as a result, Diana and Kal bonded with him.**

 ****Orm** **finally** **appears and** **his** **motivations were deciphered. Basically, he has daddy issues because the former King wasn't the greatest dad. He had thought that since the moment he can remember, he was going to be the next King because his father had never revealed Arthur's existence. Actually, now that I think about it, Orm and Loki's (MCU) motivations are quite similar. Huh...**

 ****Finally, Kal and Diana reveal things to Wally, who is shocked as he should be, but he, eventually, agrees to fight with them against Ares and the other Celestials. Oh, boy! Things are about to heat up!**

 **Well, that's everything; I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Please, remember to leave a review and tell me what you think about it! I would really appreciate it!**

 _ **Stay Safe  
**_ **ButtonPusher**


	11. Chapter 10

**Thanks for all the reviews! I love hearing all of the feedback from you guys! It makes my day every time I see a new review!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Justice League or any of the characters associated with DC Comics.**

XxXxXxXxXxX

Pete refused to cower at the sight of the gigantic, yellow-skinned alien. When the van had stopped, he had felt trepidation begin to resonate with him. Whoever he was about to see was the person who was in charge of sabotaging Clark! With the black bag around his face, he was harshly led through infinite curves, turns, and stops.

He had tried to keep track of all the movements like they did in the movies, but it was impossible. He was simply too disoriented. For minutes, he was dragged around like a rag doll, eventually, after countless commands of turning directions tossed into a room.

The bag was brutally yanked off his head and bright lights blinded him for several moments as he blinked rapidly, trying to adapt to the sudden overload of his senses.

Then, he saw the brutish alien looming over him, dwarfing his form like a god would a mortal. He hadn't expected the alien that the Justice League had fought years ago, before even Clark or J'onn had joined their legion, to be shadowing over him like a reaper having come forth from hell itself to claim his soul.

After several seconds, Pete was amazed that he was still alive. Surely, the brute was meant to kill him, but the alien just simply continued to stare down at him with cold, misty eyes.

The man with the bad breath and well-accented voice leaned into Pete's ear, "You better not piss him off, Mr. Ross. Although he is under control, by the fucker's nature, he is volatile. It was a bloodbath when the boss implanted the device; heads were crushed like grapes between those beefy fingers." The whisper slithered through his ears and his heart rapidly beat against his chest, fear coursing through his mind.

"Why is he here? Where am I? What do you want from me?" He asked, already knowing the answer to the last question.

They wanted Clark.

General Lane suddenly appeared in his line of sight and stood next to the brutish alien, "Well, Mr. Ross, Mongul was captured by the Justice League over two years ago, and was subsequently given to the government. We saw an opportunity and with the help of various funds that have been so generously been donated, we have retrofitted the _alien_ for whatever my partner and I see fit. Today, he is here for you."

"Me?" Pete squealed, "I don't know anything! Please, let me go! I won't say anything."

Lane shook his head in disappointment, dark eyes disgusted, "You do know, Mr. Ross. Alas, from what I've planned with my partner, Mongul is here so that _Cain_ will be able to determine the legitimacy of the threat posed to your life."

Pete shook his head, "No! I don't know anybody who has the name 'Cain', never have!" He beseeched uselessly, trying to make his confusion apparent.

Who was Cain?

"That's where you are wrong, Pete," a voice said from behind him. The hair on the back of his neck stood up; it was a voice that he had thought he would never hear again without the aid of a television.

He turned slowly, hoping that he was wrong even though he knew that he wasn't.

A bald head gleamed under the harsh lights. Cashmere silk was proudly displayed and a shark-like grin stared back at him.

Pete swallowed as Lex Luthor, his old classmate from middle school and the first two years of high school, stepped towards him. His hands shook as realization crashed upon him.

Lex was behind Clark's deposition, the cruel mastermind behind the world's capacity to loathe Superman.

He opened his mouth, but no words would leave his lips; he was deprived of utterance.

Lane saluted, "Mr. President," His voice oozed awe and respect, the epitome of a true soldier.

"General Lane, I'm glad to see that you are onboard with the operation."

"I always have been and always will be, sir." Lex nodded at the General's kind words in approval and turned to Pete.

A smile, "Pete, it's good to see you face-to-face." The President of the United States clapped him on the shoulder and motioned for the goons to leave.

Soon, all that remained was Pete, Lex, General Sam Lane, and Mongul.

"You know, Pete, I have come a long way from the boy who I once was. In retrospection, it's been a journey of… enlightenment."

Fierce indignation filled him, " _You_ \- …you did this! You're responsible for everything! For Congress!" Pete had heard the rumors, the unsavory activities that Lex might have been a part of, heard Clark and Diana talking about it, but Pete had never dared to believe them. He didn't want to believe that his old classmate had turned into a monster.

He should have trusted his intuition.

"It was a sacrifice that tore me apart. Their faces haunt me." Lex stared at him unflinchingly, "Tell him, General Lane, if you would."

Lane's face morphed into a fraudulent display of sorrow, "It dismayed me to plant the bombs in Congress and to order the war strike on that squalid African village led by that tyrant, Amajagh, but _Cain_ has forced our hands, Mr. Ross. It was truly regrettable that people died because they were unable to see the truth even though it was _right in front of them_."

Pete shook his head, "Liars!" He hissed, fists clenching in the realization that Sam Lane was no longer an esteemed General in the United States Military. He had turned into a monster just like Lex Luthor.

Lex blinked and laughed, "Okay, you got us, Pete. We both enjoyed it! You're right! All those hags in Congress would have opposed my vision for humanity. So, I tasked Sam with making certain that they were all… snuffed out."

Horror didn't even begin to describe the emotions warring in Pete's heart, "And Clark?" He asked, "Why would you do this to him? What about J'onn? You were the 'three musketeers' in school!" Pete paled as he realized that he had just revealed Clark's identity as Superman to one of his most vocal critics, but when he saw no expression on General Lane's face except contempt for Pete, he realized that Sam Lane had, somehow, already known.

Lex's face morphed from charming into malignity, seamlessly transitioning between the two, "He deserves it! They both deserve it! You know, Clark and J'onn were the greatest family that I ever had; I mourned the Kents when it reached me, from your hands no less, Pete, of their passing. Then, they shunned me!" Pete saw the unholy anger in his old classmate's eyes, but he also saw _pain._ The hurt. "Superman masquerades, …Clark masquerades as a god when he is _anything but!"_ Lex leaned forward, dark eyes blazing with fury, "So, I will destroy him."

"Your dear friend, Clark," Lane spat out through gnashed teeth, spittle spraying into Pete's face, "killed thousands of people and among them was my _lone daughter!_ Then, to add insult to the injury, that son of a lazy whore was hired at the Daily Planet where my daughter had worked, replacing her. Then, you joined Clark's little game of mocking the dead, Mr. Ross."

Pete was ashen-faced as Lex grinned at Lane's words, "You see, Pete, Clark is a menace to society and must be killed. I tried and tried _and tried_ to get the world to see him for the fraud that he was, but too many imbeciles were enraptured by the false god's displays of heroics and they refused to see the truth. Alas, I had to take matters into my own hands, and through the fruits of our labors," Lex gestured to he and Lane, "Clark will be destroyed."

Pete shook his head, "How can you do that, Lex? Clark can't be beaten - he is the most powerful man in the world, maybe even the universe. I doubt that a nuke would even scratch him."

Lex laughed, "Me? No, I couldn't ever face Clark. If provoked, he would squish me like an ant. No." Lex wiggled his finger at him, "There is someone else who, with the help of a green nugget, will slay the false god!"

Lane pulled out a butane lighter and lit a cigarette, smoke clouding the air. "It's going to be glorious, Mr. Ross."

"Who?" Pete asked, trying to think of an opponent who could defeat Clark, also wondering, at the same time, what the green nugget was. Suddenly, the shadow of Mongul seemed larger, growing with the unease curdling in Pete's stomach. His eyes widened as the potential killer of Clark was in the room with him, Lane, and Lex.

"Don't be ridiculous, Pete." Lex frowned, "Mongul isn't going to kill Clark. Of course, he will be crucial and _help_ kill Clark, but I need a mortal who will slay the god - to prove that humans are stronger than aliens. After all, it wasn't God who killed Jesus Christ, it was the humans who he loved with everything that he possessed." A dark smirk, "The vigilante known as… the ' _Bat'_ will slay Clark with Mongul's help."

Surely Pete had misheard his old classmate. "No, he won't. He and Clark are both in the Justice League." He protested, almost immediately regretting it upon witnessing the President's eyes glow with glee, and Lane's thin lips curve into an odious smile.

"The Bat has an intense hatred for Superman, one that could possibly, though unlikely, rival my own in a few years." Lex smiled in happiness, "His hate is ripe, for over two years grown. With the help of a particular…" Luthor and Lane's faces soured with distaste and Pete wondered who the person was. Who could be evil enough that both Lex Luthor and Sam Lane, who were two killers themselves with, apparently, no remorse, would be disgusted to work with? "... _accomplice_ , the Bat's hate will overwhelm him, pushing all logic and reason from his mind until _Superman is dead._ He would be willing to work with Mongul because he will be blinded by his overwhelming fury. The mortal will triumph over the false god! The Batman will lust over the chance of ending Clark's life, and he will enjoy it… just as we will."

The words floated in the musky, stale air of the room. Pete staggered, bracing himself against the wall. His eyes were opened; he began to see, and what he saw was the outlines of a monster. Not a myth as he had originally, mistakenly believed, but a monster, another monster. There were three, a three-headed monster, a monster who was the guardian of the gates of hell: Cerberus.

Lex Luthor. General Sam Lane. Batman.

"I can see that you see that it is inevitable, Pete." Lex placed a hand on his shoulder and Pete was too numb to shake it off, "The plans that I have implemented, with the help of my friends, are infallible and nothing - nobody - can stop what is coming; it is only, and simply, the inevitable."

Pete stared at his old classmate and the General in abhorrence. There was no chance of changing Lex's mind about Clark. Sam Lane was already too far gone in his insanity. "Why am I here, Lex? Matter of fact, who the hell is this 'Cain' who everyone keeps speaking about? Why did you kidnap me?"

"Clark cares about you. You're his friend." Lex shrugged, "Even if the Kents were alive, I would never lay a finger on them; they were my true parents. Obviously, I _can't_ _touch_ Wonder Woman," Pete's eyes widened in shock. Lex frowned, "Of course I know about Clark's lover, Pete, but don't worry, I have a plan for her." He sighed dramatically, "J'onn, to my distaste, hasn't been seen in two years, and all that leaves is you."

"Clark doesn't care about me, Lex." Pete protested, not necessarily knowing if he was telling the truth. He had been a terrible bully to both of the Kent brothers before the bus accident, before Clark had saved his life.

Lex chuckled, "I had thought that as well, Pete. You were a real jackass before the bus incident." A glance was shared between the President and General, "That's why I tasked Lane here with ordering the drone strike on the African village. If Clark had cared about you, if he had thought of you as his friend, he would destroy the drone. Which is exactly… what… happened." Cold eyes gleamed with triumph, with the arrogance of knowing that nobody could outsmart him.

"You're going to kill me," it wasn't a question, but a resigned truth that Pete knew in the deepest parts of his soul. As if hearing the call of death, his lungs filled with the secondary cigarette smoke from Sam Lane's cigarette and Pete coughed strenuously.

The President of the United States shrugged after Pete's coughing fit had concluded, "That depends on Clark's choice, but either way, _Cain_ will die."

Lights. Breathing. Smoke.

"Cain is Clark, isn't he?" Pete whispered, the words echoing through the room like a curse, "It's a pseudonym for Clark."

"I knew that the Daily Planet hired you for a reason other than stomping on Lois Lane's grave, Pete. That was quite impressive that you could deduce that tidbit with not much information to base it on." Lex hummed, staring at him critically. "Maybe there's hope for you after all."

Pete felt the urge to vomit but barely managed to quell the urge. "Why wouldn't you just call Clark, 'Superman' like everyone else?"

"Have you ever heard the story of Cain and Abel, Pete?" Lex asked rhetorically, "Well, in the Bible, they were the first two sons of Adam and Eve, the first humans created by God. Cain, the firstborn, was a farmer, and his brother, Abel was a shepherd. Simply, Cain is for Clark, and Abel is for Alexander."

"What? Who's Alexander?"

"Me. My birth name is Alexander Luthor." Lex tilted his bald head, "Come on, Pete. Please, keep up. Cain is for Clark, Abel is for Alexander, and Alexander is for Lex." He waved his arm, "I came up with it myself. Anyway, Cain murdered his brother, Abel because God accepted Abel's offering. I considered Clark - and J'onn as well, but I don't even believe he is on the planet - my brother. I would have done anything for either of them, but they metaphorically killed me, rejecting me after the Kents had died. J'onn is nowhere to be found, and all that leaves is Clark. So, Abel survived the perilous blow and wants vengeance upon his brother, Cain, and he will have it no matter the cost. _I am Abel!_ Once Cain is dead, I will shepherd the people of Earth into a new era! Because of my genius, I will save the world. Immortality will soon be unearthed and I, along with my chosen ones, will raise Earth in the hierarchy of the cosmos, bursting onto the scene."

"So, all of this is because your feelings were hurt?" Pete asked in disbelief, "You're psychotic," he breathed out.

Lex raised a brow, "That is a three-syllable word for any thought too big for little minds, Pete, like you." He glanced at Mongul, "Grab Mr. Ross." As those words passed Lex's lips, Pete's eyes darted to the door and knew that the moment to escape had finally arrived.

Just as he was about to bolt forward, a gun was placed to his head, "Don't even think about it, Mr. Ross. I will happily blow your brains out, so please, I beseech you, give me an excuse to do just that." Lane whispered.

Pete cursed, "Oh, go piss on a flat rock!" He swallowed, immediately regretting his jibe as Lane jabbed the gun further into his skin, slightly breaking through, a trickle of blood streaming down the side of his head. Suddenly, Pete cried out in fear when the alien's large fingers wrapped around his neck, not squeezing, but letting Pete know that with a twitch of Mongul's fingers, he would die.

Lex stepped closer until they were inches apart, "Sam and I see the truth, Pete, and I hope that you will eventually be able to see it as well. I would love for you to live in the new world, in _my world._ Through my vision, the Earth will be saved."

"By killing millions!" Pete cried out, "That's your plan, isn't it? Slaughter all of those who don't believe in your so-called 'vision'?"

"I will kill millions to save our race, Pete, and if it makes you feel better, I'm killing millions to save my chosen ones." Lex retorted with a frown, cold eyes flashing.

"What chosen ones?"

"You're too delusional right now to understand, Pete. I hope you cease to be so emotional, just like a woman."

Lane removed the gun from Pete's head and spoke, "Did you know, that in World War Two, Winston Churchill was forced to make a decision that tore him apart, Mr. Ross? There was a machine, a German machine, called 'Enigma' that Hitler used to send codes to his commanding officers, detailing strategies and whatever the hell those fuckin' Nazis concocted. Enigma, the code machine had been broken by Allied intelligence. Do you understand what that means, Mr. Ross? Military strategies issued from Berlin could be intercepted and even interpreted. Because of that, hundreds of thousands, even millions of lives could be saved! Eventually, word came through that a massive airstrike had been deployed against the Coventry. It was only a single transmission coded through Enigma. You see, Churchill had to make a decision."

"If he evacuated the city, the Nazis would know that the riddle of Enigma had been solved." Pete murmured breathlessly, staring into Sam Lane's dark, cold eyes.

The President nodded approvingly and seemingly took over, "Yes. Even if Churchill had mounted a sudden, abnormal defense, it would have tipped their hand to Hitler and the Axis Powers." A deep breath, "Pete, please try to understand. Coventry _had_ to be bombed out of existence so that the secret of Enigma could be kept. I'm doing the _same_ thing. The secret of my plans cannot be exposed for the same reason - the human race is in the balance. I'm saving the world."

Pete swallowed, summoning his courage, "No, you're not, Lex. You've already admitted that you will choose who lives and who dies. You and General Lane are both murderers and Clark - or Cain, or Superman, or whatever the hell you want to call him - will stop you. You've both taken your last life."

Lex's eyes turned to slits, "No, Pete, it's most likely that you have lived your last day." He turned around and a large screen rose out of the floor. "Now, let the culmination of my efforts, the fruits of my labors be ripe and full _._ Soon, the keys of immortality will be mine." Lane grinned and snuffed out his cigarette, seeming to eliminate all distractions from whatever grandiose moment that he and Lex had assembled.

Pete, held in Mongul's monstrous hand, hoped that Clark wouldn't cave; the world needed Superman, whereas Pete Ross was forgettable, unimportant.

He watched silently as Lex swiftly pulled out a phone, placing it against his ear. "Perfect timing! I will soon begin the first…" He trailed off and appeared to be listening intently to whoever was on the other end of the phone. Suddenly, Lex laughed boisterously, "This is even better than I had hoped for! You see, uncle, fate is on our side." Pete's eyes widened at the word 'uncle' and he tried to hear what was being said, but Mongul prohibited him. "We'll continue the plan, but instead of you and your siblings capturing Diana from the town, _Cain_ will race to rescue his dear, old friend while his lover and teammate are held hostage, forcing him to fight the Bat and Mongul! Then, you will get Diana to choose _._ You can kill the Flash for all I care."

Pete struggled against Mongul. He needed to escape, ward off the machinations of Lex Luthor and Sam Lane. Clark couldn't come to save him. Pete wasn't worth it!

Staring at the President of the United States' quivering form, shaking with excitement, and Lane's poised smile, Pete swallowed as he realized what he had known, deep down, since the moment that he had been captured.

There was nothing he could do - he was only human.

XxXxXxXxXxX

The sun highlighted the valley in a brilliant shade of red, reflecting off the white snow and ice. The air was frigid and her close friend continuously kept himself warm by vibrating parts of his body, generating heat for his human structure.

Diana and Kal had no such problems.

Looking at her lover, Diana noticed that he didn't even seem affected by the weather. She herself could feel the wind, but the temperature didn't register within her body.

"Do you think that they will know we're coming?" Wally yelled over the roar of the wind, "Will they be ready for us?" He was being carried by Kal and had nestled into her lover's chest like a child might, seeking warmth.

Diana frowned because, honestly, she had no idea what technology her kin possessed. "It's possible, Wally. But don't worry, we'll stay by your side the whole time. We are doing this together, all of us."

"Alright, Wonder Babe!" Wally exclaimed, face flushed, "Ares will face his reckoning and your family will be avenged. They've never faced a speedster before!"

"Just be careful, Wally." Kal said quietly, somehow heard over the wind, "The Celestials are strong, and their numbers are double our own. Be conservative, and most importantly, be smart. Don't rely solely on your gifts. Use your cleverness to outwit them."

"I know, I know, but I'm trying to keep the mood alight." Wally huffed, leaning unabashedly into Kal for more warmth.

Up ahead, Diana saw the blue sky part in reverence of ancient stone, bowing before its magnificence. Drizzles of snow were peppered sporadically across the rocky terrain, caking it with powder, sparkling ice chips reflecting in the sun. Jagged rocks jutted from one another in every direction, beginning and never-ending. It almost seemed as if large hands had randomly pieced it together with no design in mind.

"Mount Everest," Diana breathed out, captured by the utter beauty to be found around the territory. "It's magnificent."

Kal suddenly blazed forward towards the top of the summit, Wally screaming in fright, and Diana darted after him in concern and bemusement. She landed on a hill of snow and a whirlpool of the snow billowed outwards, covering her immediate surroundings in a large blizzard.

She saw Wally zipping through the snow, creating snowmen that appeared every second, and Kal was staring at his feet. Diana frowned and floated closer, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"I can see it, Diana. Olympus. It's surreal. It's like an underground city! It's almost as if they dug the caves and halls until it became _Olympus._ " He suddenly looked up and he smiled, "It's almost a shame that its inhabitants are scum." He gripped her hand, "If you don't want to do this, we can turn around right now, and neither Wally or I would judge you."

Diana leaned into him, embracing her lover with everything she had, "Thank you, Kal, but I'm ready. It's time that Ares has to deal with the consequences of his crimes."

"Good, 'cause I'm ready to start some ass-whoopin'." Wally hooted as he blurred next to Kal, eyes sparkling with excitement, "Do you think I'll be faster than Hermes?"

"We'll have to wait and see, Wally," Kal said softly, staring through the mountain, at Olympus.

"Kal, what do you see? Are there any defenses?" Diana squeezed his hand as she asked, "Are they all there?"

Kal was silent for several seconds, "It's reminiscent of Ancient Greek and Roman architecture. There are no defenses, no technology to shield them from an attack." He murmured, shock floating through the frigid air.

Diana was eerily reminded of Hal's overview before Zod's attack, _'Celestials' relied only on their physical abilities while Kryptonians embraced their physical abilities and their intellect to create technology beyond powerful.'_ She now truly understood what her teammate had meant over two years ago.

"They're arrogant," she said, the words empowering her. "We can surprise them and they'll be unable to see our attack coming."

Wally beamed, "We'll be all stealthy - I feel like James Bond!" He shouted, "Maybe I can have his luck with wooing the ladies. Perhaps Aphrodite will take me up on my offer to dip my stinger in her delectable honey, if ya know what I mean." He chuckled wildly, eyes sparkling with laughter.

Diana rolled her eyes, wondering how Wally could be so concupiscent at a time like this. She saw Kal smile slightly, looking down into Olympus. "You know, Wally, Diana asked me if all the Celestials are there, and I believe they are. Do you know what I think Aphrodite is doing?"

"What?" Wally asked innocently.

Kal's lips twitched as he stared into the speedster's eyes, "Well, let's just say that _war_ is dipping his stinger in _love's_ delectable honey, as you so… charmingly put it."

Wally's eyes widened, "Aww man! I'll never have sex!" He cried out, features paling rapidly in horror until he was as white as the snow they all stood on. "I mean, I've had _plenty_ of sex! I've gotten my banana peeled countless times! You know, the ole' lust-and-thrust!" He exclaimed desperately, looking wildly in every other direction except at the people in front of him.

Kal chuckled and placed his hand on Wally's shoulder. "It's okay if you've never been intimate with someone, Wally. You're only 21 years old. Losing your virginity at a young age doesn't determine _what_ kind of man you are or how strong you are as a male specimen. It's _who you are_ as a person that determines that. You know, I respect men that _wait_ until they've found their mate, the person whom they will spend the rest of their life with; it shows discipline and wisdom that most of the humans lack. I'd say that, as of now, you're ahead of the curve, Wally." He smiled down at the speedster, and Diana was struck, at that moment, upon the realization of how good of a father Kal would be.

Wally swallowed, eyes shining, "Really? You think so?" He whispered softly, almost fearfully.

"Of course, I _know so."_ Kal nodded towards her, "Because of my powers, I was never able to be intimate with someone until Diana, and let me tell you something: it was more than worth the wait. You'll find that special someone, Wally. All you need to do is be patient."

A tear spilled down Wally's cheek, "Thanks, Clark," he hugged Kal and Diana smiled at the sight but felt it begin to slip as she remembered their purpose.

"Alright, boys," she said loudly, catching their attention. "It's time to end the very short Era of Ares."

XxXxXxXxXxX

It was surprisingly simple to create a small passage from the peak of Everest that led into one of the many tunnels that were spread throughout the mountain into Olympus, the treasure hidden from the world for thousands of years. He already knew the entire layout of the mountain, knew how Olympus was built into the very mountain itself, becoming a part of the rock and stone. It was dug with passages and tunnels leading to cellars, halls, great mansions, and palaces. Finally, in the very center, a great chamber with extravagant seats of power was seemingly immortalized in the ancient stone and Kal knew that that was the throne room.

Kal led Diana and Wally through the passage, detailing everything that he had noticed, "Currently, there are only seven Celestials who seem to have an Avatar, from what I can see. Based on the appearance of each, I would wager Everest's weight in gold that Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Apollo, Hermes, Artemis, and Hercules are the Celestials whom we will be battling."

"Good. So it means that we won't be too outnumbered." Diana pointed out quietly, "No matter what," her teeth clenched. "Ares is mine. I will be the one to kill him. Then, once he is finally dead, the world won't seem on the brink of destruction, and they will finally realize how blessed they are to have 'Superman' in their life. They won't call for your execution, Kal, and the humans won't always be squabbling like petulant children." She glanced up at him with expressive eyes.

Kal nodded, not sure if Diana was correct about Ares' death - that the humans wouldn't be so consumed by greed, distrust, and hate once the Celestial was dead, but he didn't want to upset her. "Yes, and remember that we must destroy their brains - or souls - to fully kill them. Soultaker," he gestured to the sword strapped to his back, amalgamating with his cape sensually, "will sense the location and then we will destroy them."

Wally's heartbeat sped up, "Alright, but just so you know, I'm currently terrified right now." The speedster said bluntly, softly. "The last time I fought powerful beings, I was…" he swallowed, "almost killed both times. First, Mongul and then the Kryptonian behemoth in Smallville. Both times, you had to save me, Clark."

Diana stopped and Kal saw her place a hand on Wally's shoulder, "Nothing like that is going to happen again, I promise. Kal and I will make sure of it."

"Wally," Kal said quietly and the speedster's fearful eyes connected with cerulean blue ones. "You are a strong person, and you've overcome great tragedies in your life. You've kept fighting, and that's why I know you're going to be great."

"Really?" Wally whispered, hands vibrating at his side.

Kal nodded and smiled gently, "Yes, because all of the hardships that you have triumphed over has led to you becoming the _Flash._ Hardships often prepare ordinary people for an extraordinary destiny. This is your moment, Wally, and I know that you will be extraordinary."

Silent tears spilled down Wally's cheeks and he sniffed, hastily wiping his eyes. "Thanks, Clark. I needed that," he blurred into Kal's form and squeezed tightly.

Even though Kal didn't feel the hug, he wrapped his arms around his friend's form, showcasing his belief in Wally. His eyes met Diana's and he noticed that she was staring at him with _such_ love. That sight fortified his decision. When the entire Celestial ordeal concluded, Kal, at that moment, decided to propose to his lover, wishing to spend eternity with her.

He had been struggling with the decision for many months. Would she even want to get married? He had talked with J'onn about the decision before his brother had shunned him, but Kal hadn't truly felt peaceful about it. After all, he and Diana had never really delved into the possibility of marriage, but watching her beautiful eyes glow with love _for him,_ Kal knew that no matter what happened in their upcoming battle, he would ask Diana to marry him.

Wally pulled back, "Alright, enough of this sentimental, mushy crap." He cracked his neck and clenched his fists several times, "I'm ready, really ready to have the fight of my life. Let's get ready to rumble!" He hissed out, eyes gleaming with adrenaline.

"Remember," Diana said, gripping Wally's shoulder and Kal's hand. "We do this together. We all have each other's backs."

Wally nodded and slapped his cheek several times, psyching himself up, "How do you want to do this? Abrupt attack or silent in the night, assassin-style?"

Diana smiled dangerously and Kal was reminded of the fact that his lover was raised in a warrior's society, "I want them to know who was responsible for their demise. I want Ares to watch as Olympus is destroyed and know that, as he lays dying, it was all his fault." She looked at him, "Kal, would you like to make the dramatic entrance?" She purred, swords materializing in her hands.

Kal smiled and quickly kissed her, "Make sure to jump after me in three seconds." He whispered to both of them and tore through the cavern around them, uncaring about the noise he produced. He blurred through tons of rock and ancient stone until, finally, a huge abyss appeared.

Without stopping, Kal leaped off the ledge and plummeted towards Olympus, bypassing ancient pillars of inscripted marble and frescoed walls depicting beautiful murals. He landed in a shockwave of power, shaking all of Mount Everest and a crater formed around him from his landing, billowing outwards until it stretched towards a flight of magnificent-looking stairs.

Diana suddenly, gracefully landed next to him, not making a sound, and Kal swiftly reached out, plucking Wally out of mid-air before his friend slammed into the floor, undoubtedly dying.

"Well, I think that we sounded the alarm," Kal said wryly, eyes watching as all of the Celestials, wherever they were in Olympus, stopped what they had been occupied with and their eyes widened in shock. "Come on, I think we should go to the throne room." He said vaguely, witnessing each Celestial journey there.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Thrusting mightily, the loud moans of Aphrodite urging him onward, Ares clenched his teeth as he was _so close_. Since his father's demise, Ares had never felt stronger as every Celestial looked up to _him_ for guidance. His centuries-long fantasy had finally become a reality as he had, personally, slew Zeus. As a show of his perpetual grace, Ares had allowed his siblings and cousins to regenerate in their brains.

He could have easily slain them while he was hunting down the other brains with the aid of the Blade of Olympus, but Ares had rewarded their loyalty to him by letting them live. He was a good King, unlike his father. For the past months since his ascension to King of the Celestials, he had communicated with his nephew about the plan for Diana and the _Kryptonian,_ or who his nephew referred to as _Cain._

While Diana had no idea that Zeus and the Elder Celestials were dead, Ares was hesitant to allow her free reign in the world of the humans. Whether he liked to admit it or not, the girl was powerful and could pose a legitimate threat to everything that he had wrought. So, with the help of Lex Luthor, whom desperately wanted the _Kryptonian_ destroyed, he and Ares had meticulously planned for the moment where Diana would be forced to choose.

Would she decide to submit to Ares and join her Celestial family, or would she side with the humans and choose death?

The plan was relatively simple.

A human, whom the _Kryptonian_ was close with, was going to be kidnapped by Luthor and while that was happening, Diana would be vulnerable for an attack during which, Ares and his siblings would capture her, either leading to her death or the unification of all of Zeus' remaining children.

Either way, all of Ares' problems would be solved. Diana would cease to be a concern, and the _Kryptonian_ would be dead, not able to attempt to finish what his forefathers had started long ago.

A loud moan echoed in his ears and Ares was _close._ He gripped Aphrodite's soft, supple thighs as he thrust faster, needing to have that sweet release that only she could give him. He stared down at her full lips, opened wide in pleasure as Ares' passions overwhelmed her. The sway of her full breasts as he bucked into her were hypnotic; her hardened nipples that begged to be pinched almost sent him over the edge. He closed his eyes and knew that, only in a few more seconds, he would finally have that _coveted_ liberation.

Ares felt it begin to form inside, coiling around him like a viper and he grunted, knowing that Aphrodite would give his member a little love with her mouth afterward. The dam inside of him was about to open and Ares-

 _BOOM!_

Aphrodite shrieked, and Ares urgently gripped her arms to keep himself steady as the entire mountain shook, dust billowing into the air. He looked towards his right, through the magnificent pillars and saw pieces of rock falling from the top of the great caverns.

"What was that?" Aphrodite huffed out breathlessly, looking up at him with large eyes, "Are we under attack?"

Ares growled, knowing that any attempt to reignite what they had been doing before they were _so rudely_ interrupted wouldn't bode well. Whoever had caused this distraction would pay dearly. He pulled out of Aphrodite's warm, heavenly body and stepped towards the opening of the vale, narrowly avoiding a large boulder that almost hit him.

His eyes widened as, at the very bottom of the Mountain, near the Heart of Olympus, _Diana_ , a human who he believed to be the Flash, and the _Kryptonian_ were gliding up the steps that led to the throne room!

How could they have possibly found Olympus? Ares whirled around as he knew that it was the _Kryptonian_ who had found out their location. "We _are_ under attack. Come on!" He barked out at his nude lover and strode towards the throne room, imagining the _Kryptonian's_ death. That fiend would regret bedding Diana.

He pulled out a cell phone that his nephew had procured for him, only to be used to communicate about the plans. He quickly brought it to his ear and summoned a large, gleaming sword in his other hand.

" _Perfect timing!"_ His nephew's voice was full of cheer, _"I will soon begin the first-"_

Ares interrupted him, "They're here!" He snarled, hoping that Luthor could _feel_ the fury building within him, "Diana and the _Kryptonian_ and the Flash are in Olympus!"

Luthor suddenly laughed, _"This is even better than I had hoped for! You see, uncle, fate is on our side. We'll continue the plan, but instead of you and your siblings capturing Diana from the town, Cain will race to rescue his dear, old friend while his lover and teammate are held hostage, forcing him to fight the Bat and Mongul! Then, you will get Diana to choose. You can kill the Flash for all I care."_

"The _Kryptonian_ better die, nephew," Ares warned and narrowly managed not to crush the phone in his hand, almost letting his anger cloud his judgment, and that was something that couldn't happen.

Ares had to be focused.

Hopefully, Diana would choose to side with the humans and death because Ares really needed to kill someone. If not, the Flash would be able to sate his bloodlust.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal stared at the intricate symbols carved into the grand, golden doors that led to the throne room. The scripture almost seemed to move, and he realized that it was creating a story.

"That's Ancient Greek." Diana whispered, staring at the symbols on the door, "It's an account of the Celestials history, tales woven of their culture." Her eyes soaked it in, _"Our story is one of endurance."_ She translated the scripture, voice becoming almost ancient. _"Our people were led by a flawed King, and as a result, our people suffered for his grievous errors. But through his mistakes, the sons learned from the father as all sons inevitably do. Olympus is rooted in the blood of Supmylo, of our people, but it is also established in our perseverance. We bore the tragedy of our civilization and turned it into glory. Despite being led to the brink of extinction by the Eradicators, the Celestials species still yet lives. Our enmity for Krypton still burns in pace with a million suns, but without the Eradicators, the Celestials would have never strived for the pillar of power that they became known as before our Eradication. One day, whether it is months or millennia from now, Krypton will face its retribution from our hands. Zeus will lead our people back to the throne of stars that we once sought to sit upon. Through his wisdom, the Celestials have endured. - Athena, the Daughter of Zeus and Demeter."_ Diana finished, lips parted as she stared at the golden door.

Kal closed his eyes, "I'm sorry, Diana," he gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry that you have never gotten to know your full lineage's history." Wally solemnly placed his own hand on Diana's other shoulder, offering his support even though he had no idea about the burden Diana bore.

She sniffed, "Thank you, but I'm okay. The Celestials had their chance and… it's too late for them. They're enduring qualities also mean that they're stubborn and their beliefs have been tainted for too long. They would cease to change. It's time that I, as the last child of Zeus, rectify that. They must be destroyed. _Ares_ must be destroyed for the world to be at peace - all the thoughts of hate will disperse upon his demise."

Kal kissed her hair and pulled soultaker off his back. "Here we go," he said softly and kicked open the doors gently, not wanting to ruin any more of Diana's culture that Krypton had so desperately tried to.

"Well, well, well." A voice echoed and Kal saw who he assumed to be Ares. It was the same man who he had seen in the middle of intense throes of passion with who Kal had assumed to have been Aphrodite. " _Diana_ , my sister, it's so good to finally meet you. It's a shame that it has taken so long to have this family reunion. We've all heard so much about you, about how you were to destroy me." More figures aligned themselves next to Ares, "The _god-killer_ \- the child who Zeus had left behind after his dalliance with the Queen of the Amazons, hopeful that she would grow into a mighty weapon to use against me and my siblings." He gestured towards the people by his side.

Diana swallowed, "You - … _you're_ _him._ " She breathed out, hands shaking in the realization that she was staring at the murderer of her people, of her _mother_.

"I am." Ares nodded, face twisting into a malevolent smile. "Now, I will give you a choice, Diana. When I had first learned of your existence, I was going to crush you, but I quickly saw an opportunity to turn my father's very creation against him. While I stained my weapons with the blood of your sisters and mother, I could have just as easily killed you as well, Diana, but I didn't." Ares paused and pointed a large sword directly at Diana, voice growing darker. "You still exist only because _I_ _allowed_ you to be. Will you turn your back on the gift that I gave you, or will you join me, taking your rightful place amongst your kin, kneeling before your true King?"

"I would never join you!" Diana roared, "You slaughtered my family! _You're_ the reason that humans are fighting and killing each other. You're why they hate Kal!" She materialized a deadly-sharp sword and a powerful shield, "Your reign is over!" She tossed the sword to Wally and summoned another, twirling it in anticipation.

Ares grinned, seemingly happy with Diana's choice, "Pity, I had hoped to make you a slave like your mother had been to our father. Instead, I will make you my personal whore, and then I will kill you once your usefulness dwindles." He leaned forward, dark eyes glowing with malevolence, bronze skin gleaming. "Did you know that I raped your mother as she laid dying, Diana?" Ares purred and Kal's fists clenched in horror, staring at Diana's brother in disgust and anger. He dimly noticed Aphrodite's gaze snap to her lover, face twisted in an emotion that Kal couldn't decipher, "Her screams as I _took_ her were… glorious, dearest sister. She begged me to stop, Diana, but I refused. Soon, you will be begging me to stop, as well. Just as I pounded into your mother's broken, bloody body, I will pound into yours!"

Diana screamed in rage, sounding like a wounded animal near death's door, "I will kill you!" She leaped forward, eyes glowing with monstrous emotions. Her sword connected with Ares' mightily, the sound echoing through the throne room.

Kal blurred forward, attacking the three males that were about to cleave his lover in half. He noticed Wally vanish in a flash of blue lightning, blurring towards who he believed to be Hermes.

A strong fist landed into Kal's side, "Do you truly covet death so much, Kryptonian?" One of them hissed, "I was hailed as the god of strength by the mortals."

"Good," Kal grunted, swinging around with his elbow, smashing into Hercules' face, "So that means that you can take a hit." He narrowly avoided a hammer to his chest from the ugliest of the Celestials - Hephaestus. Kal swiped soultaker at him and the Celestial leaped back. Diana's words from all of their training sessions echoed in his mind, guiding him as he battled against Hephaestus' summoned weapons. His ears were precisely tuned to the sounds of the three Celestials, warning him thanks to the sounds of their weapons approaching him.

He batted Hercules' fist to the side with his elbow and he slashed soultaker through the Celestial's vulnerable-positioned arm, hearing the growl of pain mixed with a curious dose of fury. "It seems you know how to fight, Kryptonian, but can you rival gods such as us?"

Kal groaned lowly as Hephaestus' hammer connected with his bicep, surprising him. He swiftly smacked the hammer and jammed soultaker into the ugly alien's leg. He kicked Hercules' incoming leg aside, "You're not a god, not even a little. You - and all of your siblings, too - are arrogant monsters. I wouldn't be surprised if it was you who aided Ares during the slaughter of the Amazons."

"You're delusional," Hephaestus growled out. "I've watched you, Kryptonian, observing your deeds for the mortals. We all have. You think that you're so much better than us, but you're not!"

A man with flaming locks of fire for hair danced around Kal and landed a fierce punch in his face. "You, Eradicator, are less than any of us! I must say that it doesn't surprise me. Your kind fabricated all of their legends of power!" Kal ducked from the next punch and saw his opportunity, shoved soultaker directly upward into who-he-believed-to-be Apollo's outstretched arm.

He stumbled as Hercules smashed his leg into Kal's calf and before he could react, Hephaestus' hammer connected with his jaw, dazing him as his leg buckled, sending him to one knee. The sword was abruptly smacked out of his hands and Kal instinctively ducked, rolling to the side.

He now realized that although he had trained under Diana, he wouldn't be able to defeat the Celestials through skill. He would have to use his power, showing why the Kryptonians were worshipped as gods across the universe.

"You should have left us alone, Kryptonian." Apollo cried out and the Celestial's eyes glowed with a blinding light that even Kal found hard to look at. "You dare challenge us? I am the sun!" He roared, floating upward and summoned a bow, snapping it against Kal's face.

He hissed as he felt his skin open, healing almost instantly, "Me too," he declared and fired his heat vision into Hephaestus' hands and the ugly Celestial roared in pain, hands flickering with blue sparks. Kal blurred forward, ducking underneath Hercules' wild punch, and slammed Hephaestus towards Ares. The self-proclaimed god of war narrowly managed to catch his brother and then hurled Hephaestus towards Diana, only for Kal's lover to slice Hephaestus' head off with a single stroke as she attacked Ares strenuously, mouth curled in a ferocious snarl. Hephaestus dispersed in a shower of blue sparks just as Zeus had done when Kal had killed him, per Diana's father's request.

Kal cried out as a pair of arrows tore through his chest, golden energy whizzing off them. He was tackled to his knees and Hercules forced him in a headlock, "I'm going to enjoy this, Kryptonian." The man hissed in Kal's ear, "My people will have finally triumphed over the Eradicators!" Hercules suddenly wrenched his hands, wrists twisting and Kal refused to let his neck move. He stretched his muscles, roaring with the effort as Hercules' intensified, trying to snap Kal's neck.

Apollo suddenly floated in front of him, golden bow aimed at him, "Goodbye, Kryptonian," he said darkly and pulled the string back.

Kal fought desperately to escape, but Hercules' roared, slamming his knee directly into Kal's spine, jarring him. Through a gasp of pain, he saw soultaker several feet away to his right. His eyes glowed red with power, "Enough!" He screamed and he fired at Apollo, destroying his bow as the Celestial dove to Kal's right. Kal suddenly lurched forward, catching Hercules' off-guard. He smashed his elbow into the Celestial's abdomen, the echoing sound of Hercules' groan of pain a victory in his ears.

Apollo suddenly smacked him in the face and stabbed him through the stomach with soultaker. Kal roared in agony as Apollo loomed over him, "Is this what I think it is, Kryptonian?" He tore soultaker out of Kal's body brutally and blood stained the blade, "Brother, I believe that this is the catalyst of our near-extinction."

"Good, give the Kryptonian a little taste of what his people did to our own!" Hercules hissed out, shaking with the effort of keeping Kal in a headlock.

Kal's wounds swiftly healed and his eyes caught Apollo's as the faux god grinned, shoving soultaker forward, aiming to tear through Kal's head. To Apollo's shock, Kal's hands blurred upward, trapping the blade between his palms, unyielding against the Celestial's strength.

Hercules gasped and increased his effort to break Kal's neck tenfold while Apollo strained, desperately trying to push soultaker through Kal's grip. Cerulean blue eyes quickly observed the battle.

Diana was fighting Ares with unrelenting vigor, both flying in the air as her screams of rage echoed through the throne room. Artemis was shooting dozens upon dozens of arrows at the blurring form of Wally, who was chasing Hermes, the two battling in super speed. Aphrodite appeared to be throwing daggers at Wally as well if he wasn't mistaken.

Kal focused on his lover for a brief moment, watching as she dove forward, her sword in both hands as she smashed into Ares' own. After a moment, Diana removed her left hand and strained against her brother with one arm. Kal was about to cry out to warn her when he watched lightning begin to sizzle in her left hand. He noticed Ares' eyes widen in realization, "Impossible!" The Celestial cried out, "I killed Zeus! How did you manage to access his essence's light?"

"Zeus is harder to kill than you thought," more lightning sparkled in Diana's hands and it grew in potency and power, the sound prominent in Kal's ears. "I have Zeus' power, rapist - it is my own, now! And I will inflict it in waves upon you!"

Kal sighed in relief as Diana then unleashed massive torrents of crackling lightning into her brother, throwing him into one of the thrones, destroying it. Diana levitated higher and then, with a warrior's cry, blurred toward Ares like a comet, but was unable to land a blow as several silver arrows connected with her armor, explosions erupting as Diana fell out of the air.

He gasped, watching Diana snarl, attacking Artemis. Kal's eyes darted towards his friend and he watched Wally swipe at Hermes' legs only for the Celestial to jump upward, smashing his foot into the speedster's face. Wally smashed into a pillar, blood streaming down his face in several lines. Hermes suddenly stopped in front of the fallen Wally, arrogance seeping from the Celestial, "Did you truly think that you could outrun a god, mortal?" Aphrodite stepped closer and aligned herself next to her brother.

Wally coughed, leaning against the pillar, holding his chest gently, yet tightly with his hand, "Yeah, I did. To be honest, you were quite slower than I thought you'd be. I'm disappointed." Wally's gaze snared onto Aphrodite, "Woof! You're gorgeous," he sat up slightly. "How would you feel about having a little, mid-battle session of a… _squeeze and a squirt?_ " Wally winked, wiggling his eyebrows.

Kal watched as Aphrodite seemed taken aback by Wally's bluntness while Hermes shook in rage, "You really don't have any idea _with whom_ you speak, do you, _mortal?"_

"Sure I do! You're the dude who fucked a goat, aren't ya? The one who fathered Pan, the half-goat man?" Wally asked flippantly, obviously stalling as his wounds slowly began to heal.

"You insolent worm!" Hermes grasped the sword that Wally had dropped and pointed it at the fallen speedster, "I will savor the feel of the life leaving your body, _mortal."_ He advanced forward, features pinched in malignity. Aphrodite continued to simply stare at Wally.

Kal knew that Wally was about to die if he didn't do something. He glanced at Apollo's straining form and yanked his hands down, surprising the Celestial. Hercules loosened his grip slightly and Kal smashed the back of his head against Hercules' face, feeling bones crack.

The self-proclaimed god of strength cried out in pain as his hands flew to his face, releasing Kal.

He was free! Cerulean blue eyes saw Hermes raise the sword above his head, Wally closing his eyes in acceptance. Kal roared, refusing to watch his friend die, and blurred forward, sweeping Apollo off his feet. He plucked soultaker off the ground and hurled it into Hermes' back in the blink of a human's eyelid.

The Celestial gasped, dropping his weapon, and looking down at the blade of soultaker sticking out of his chest. "Kryptonian!" Hermes hissed and attempted to pull the blade out, but was unable to. Wally had healed and zipped toward Aphrodite and shoved her into Hermes.

His friend's wounds were still there, but they would no longer prohibit him in the battle against the Celestials nearly as much as they had.

Kal turned around as he heard Hercules blitz him. Several mountain-shattering punches landed against his abdomen, but Kal simply ignored it. He watched fear slowly begin to poison Hercules' expression. He suddenly caught the Celestial's fist and twisted it brutally, unleashing his heat vision into Hercules' face. Skin quickly melted and bone crackled ominously, blue sparks flickering through the strongman's agonized skeletal features.

The Last Son of Krypton grunted as he felt an arrow slice past his cheek, drawing a thin line of blood only for it to instantly heal. His gaze narrowed on Apollo, whom swiftly fired several dozen more arrows with speed that rivaled Diana.

Kal dropped Hercules screaming form and advanced on Apollo, letting the arrows tear into his body; they wouldn't pose a threat to his life - he would heal. The ones projected to hit his face, he simply fired small blasts of his heat vision, incinerating the arrows.

Apollo's face contorted in hatred, fear flashing through his golden orbs as Kal bolted forward, gripping the Celestial by the throat, "No matter how many of us fall, there will always be others whom will fight you." Apollo gasped out, clawing at the hands holding his throat.

Kal didn't care, he was angry. He was angry that the Celestials were the reason why the Amazons, his lover's family, were dead. "Then they will be dealt with just as you have. You've lost and I will make certain that your stay - that Olympus' stay - in Everest is finished."

"You fool!" Apollo croaked, eyes bulging from his sockets, "The death of Olympus means the death of everyone!"

"What do you mean?" Kal demanded, eyes pulsing with power, each a heartbeat that throbbed in rhythm with Kal's voice, "Why can Olympus not be destroyed? What have you done?"

Apollo spat in his face, "You'll see," he whispered. "If all we do, in fact, die by your hands, the mortals, whom you so dearly protect, will scorn you! They will know who killed thousands of their kind, perhaps millions! They will blame you, Eradicator."

"What? How will the humans die if you are destroyed? Tell me!" Kal roared, squeezing Apollo's neck tighter, hearing Hercules approach, form staggering towards them, noticeably becoming stronger with each step.

Apollo grinned and opened his mouth, sun-like fire spewing from his lips, trying to scorch Kal with its intensity.

The heat was hot and it was the first time in his life that he felt almost _unbearably_ warm. He stumbled back, releasing Apollo from his grip. The Celestial unleashed everything he could muster, floating upward as he glared down at Kal like the sun itself, summoning torrents of sun fire from his soul, shooting out from his entire body directly at Kal. The son of Jor-El stared at the fire, felt the heat, and Kal began to be overwhelmed - it was hot! He clenched his fists in determination for he refused to yield, beginning to walk through the waves of fire, towards Apollo.

The closer he went, the hotter the sun fire became, but Kal didn't care. The sun was the source for Kal's powers and since his body was in the presence of a being whose essence's light was submerged in the sun, he became engulfed with the power exploding through his body as he began to generate so much more energy in his body, powering him up.

"Once I kill you, I will revel in showing Diana the true might of a sun god when I plunge into her beautiful body!" Apollo screeched, golden eyes glowing with madness and depravity.

Bursting with power, Kal blurred into the air, roaring as he slammed into Apollo, gripping the Celestial's chest and stomach. With those words echoing in his mind like a drum, his fingers dug into Apollo's body, tearing through skin, bone, and muscle. Before he could truly think about his actions, Kal wrenched his arms in opposite directions, tearing Apollo in half in a shower of energy.

He blinked as he realized what he had done, the absolute barbarity that he had displayed as Apollo's body suddenly dispersed in a flash of blue sparks just like Zeus' and Hephaestus' had.

Hercules screamed, slamming into Kal's body with enough force to create a crater around them. Punches blurred into Kal's body, shaking the mountain.

"I'll kill you, Kryptonian!" Hercules spat, "Then, once you're dead, I'm going to rape Diana! I know that you're fond of her. I will enjoy reminding her of that fact as I fuck her. Maybe, Ares and I will gangbang her, breaking her just like her mother!" Blazing eyes were alight with perpetual cruelty and Kal felt the anger spread through his body once again. His cerulean blue eyes glowed red, veins around his eyes showcasing death as they turned pitch black, and he suddenly reached out with both of his hands, catching Hercules' two incoming fists.

He began to squeeze, grinding the Celestial's bone to dust, ignoring Hercules' groans. He was furious and he knew that Hercules spoke the truth. Kal refused to let that happen to Diana, and if he had to sully his hands, it was a consequence that he would never regret and happily live with.

Kal swiftly, with hardly a grunt of effort, crushed Hercules' fists, triturating bones into nothingness. The Celestial let loose an agonizing cry of despair, the ground shaking as he looked at his gnarled hands in disbelief. Kal unleashed a monstrous blast of his heat vision, surging beams of energy slamming Hercules to the other side of the crater in a heap of heavily scorched limbs. Massive burn scars covered the Celestial and Hercules finally seemed to understand that his defeat was only, and simply, inevitable.

The heir to the Eradicators floated forward, uncaring that he looked like death itself claiming the souls of the fallen. He was livid. All the events of the past months had finally burst out of him in a frightening display. First, J'onn and the world's hate, and now, his lover has been threatened with rape thrice in front of him.

Hercules unsteadily climbed to his feet, "You won't win, Kryptonian. It doesn't matter how many of us you kill, there will always be another to oppose you; after all, you've bedded a Celestial, Kryptonian. When your future, demonic spawn comes of age, they will attempt to kill you. It's in their blood _._ All that power. What a glorious burden." Hercules coughed, weakly pointing at Kal, "The child of the Last Eradicator and a good-for-nothing whore!"

Kal roared in absolute rage, blurring forward and spun Hercules around, kicking the man to his knees, holding him there with his feet. He gripped the sides of the Celestial's head, crunching through bone, anger shredding through every ounce of self-control that he had ever erected. "You're wrong, Hercules," Kal hissed, beginning to pull his arms upward, "You said that others would rise against me, against Diana and I, correct? Our future children won't. I promise you, as you promised to rape Diana, that our children will be far better than any of their uncles and aunts. And if any other vile alien races attack us, well, then they will fall just as you have." His eyes ignited, blinding the room. He _ripped_ Hercules head from his shoulders and watched as the Celestial's body and dismembered head dispersed in a shower of blue sparks.

He exhaled roughly, wondering when the guilt and regret would build inside, but he knew that if it ever did, then it would be at a later time.

His head snapped towards Diana when he heard her suddenly scream in pain. Hermes and Wally were blurring through the throne room, faces pinched in utter concentration. Aphrodite and Artemis had joined the fight against Diana, Ares leading the charge against his lover. A sword was jammed in Diana's back, tearing through her stomach brutally while Ares grinned maliciously as he gripped the blade that had caused Diana's blood to spill to the floor in large droplets.

The world froze.

The only thing that Kal could see was Diana's face twisted in pain, eyes wide, and lips parted in a soundless scream of agony. Her arms dropped and she began to grow limp, eyes glazing over.

"No!" Kal screamed and he felt an energy, felt a power brim over, released through barriers that he didn't even know that he had had. He rocketed forward, shaking all of Olympus, all of Mount Everest itself as he slammed into Ares, screaming unintelligibly. He unleashed a horrendous blast into Ares' face, manumitting his heat vision from the chains of self-restraint in a way that he had never done before, watching contently as skin swiftly melted and bones shattered. All that was left was the glowing orb depicting the connection of the Celestial's brain to his 'soul' and he no longer cared that he had promised Diana that she would be the one who killed Ares. A monster had awakened in him at the sight of Ares killing Diana.

He smashed Ares into the floor, unleashing such devastating punches that sonic booms and craters littered throughout Olympus. Bones and muscles exploded in Ares' Avatar as Kal's strength cowed him, providing physical, tangible evidence of the Eradicators' might.

"Release him, Kryptonian!"

His fist hovered above Ares' face, eyes quelling the impulse to obliterate the Celestial's visible glowing orb which connected Ares' Avatar to the Celestial's brain. He slowly turned around, gripping Ares tightly. He froze as he glimpsed it, the terrible sight that he knew would haunt him for as long as he lived.

Diana was thankfully still alive, held like a doll in Aphrodite's grip, a beautiful sword digging into her throat. To his relief, he was able to glimpse that her wounds were beginning to heal, stitching together weakly, but gaining strength with every passing second. Hermes had shoved Wally to his knees, arm dangling uselessly at his side, bone splintered through the skin, blood everywhere, combined from both Diana and Wally as the ground ran crimson.

"Release our brother, Kryptonian, or my sister will kill Diana." Artemis' eyes were winter incarnate: cold and uncompromising. She had a bow pointed at him even though they both knew it wouldn't be able to stop him, but they had dared to use Diana against him - and Wally, too.

His eyes returned to their cerulean blue color and Kal growled lowly, "And how do I know that if I do release this bastard, you won't kill Diana and my friend?"

Artemis smirked and it chilled Kal's soul, "You don't, Kryptonian, but you don't really have much of a choice, do you? If you truly care for Diana as much as we all know you do, you'll gladly drop Ares, no matter if we kill her anyway."

Wally's eyes were wide with fear, bulging out of their sockets, hysteria threatening to overwhelm, face a mass of muted terror. Kal was reminded of his promise to Wally from earlier and he began to stall for time, mindful that if he were to save both Diana and Wally, he would need Wally to at least be slightly healed and Hermes distracted, too.

"You know, I used to read your legends as a child, the Olympians. You were gods, they all proclaimed, the divine beings who ruled over the Earth and its inhabitants." Kal's eyes glanced to every Celestial, scanning Wally's body when he had the chance, watching as it so ever slowly began to heal. "For a time, when I had first read the legends, I had thought that, perhaps, I was one of your children, but from a young age, I knew that that couldn't be true. I wasn't as vile and cruel as your recorded deeds, and they are undoubtedly true based on what I've seen."

Hermes gnashed his teeth together, eyes manic. "Not as vile and cruel? You are heir to the Eradicators, a Kryptonian! Your people slaughtered by the trillions, eradicating entire worlds, and building an empire that spanned throughout the stars!" His hand left Wally's shoulder and slashed through the air violently, finger pointing at Kal condemningly. "You were borne of monsters, Eradicator. None of us can understand what Diana seems to," he sneered out her name and Wally's eyes burned with determination, but Kal subtly shook his head in command to remain put, healing as much as he could. "She willingly fucks you, spreading her whore-legs for an Eradicator, letting your monstrous seed fill her womb."

Kal saw his chance and his eyes glowed red, becoming blinding, blood-colored orbs. "And if you believe that to be true, which it isn't, how are you any better, Hermes? You persuaded a goat to spread its legs and-"

An animalistic screech echoed out of Hermes as he rushed towards Kal, ignoring Artemis' shouts to stop. At that moment, Wally dashed into Aphrodite, smashing into her with bone-breaking force, tossing the sword out of her reach. Artemis gasped angrily as Diana fell bonelessly to the floor, blood no longer spilling out of her abdomen and back, skin almost fully stitched back together.

Hermes blazed toward him and Kal dropped Ares like he was a rag doll, left him lying by a thone of power in complete agony. Instead of meeting Hermes head-on, as the Celestial no doubt wanted, Kal fired his heat vision, and when his attacker rolled to the side, Kal burst forward, smashing into Hermes. Then, without wasting any precious seconds, he reproduced the devastating blast of his heat vision to Hermes' face just as he had done to Ares earlier. Hermes screamed in pain, clawing at Kal's face, but his fingers were quickly eviscerated.

Kal hurled the Celestial into Ares' still-downed, flickering form and as the two brothers laid together in agony, he blurred towards Artemis, narrowly managing to stop her from firing an arrow into Diana's forehead. He tackled her away and tossed her in the air, snapping his fist into her bow. It shattered and Artemis howled like a wolf, eyes flashing as her carefully constructed facade of composure evaporated, revealing the malignity that had been hidden beneath.

She lashed out at him with several punches, but he blocked them and snagged her by the throat, "You don't deserve to live!" He roared and slammed Artemis into the ground harshly, kicking her fallen form to the other side of the throne room. He swiftly knelt beside his lover.

The wound was grievous and he realized that Artemis must have somehow nullified all of the copious amounts of work that Diana's healing factor had done. Kal could hear the downed Celestials began to heal and he knew that there was only one thing that he could do to save her in time so that she could fight again. He fired small, intense bolts of his heat vision, cauterizing her wounds, exit and entry. The smell of burnt flesh filled his nostrils while grief filled his soul as he watched as he maimed his lover to save her life - and he and Wally's, too. Only together, could they defeat the Celestials - without Diana, they wouldn't be able to. After several seconds, he stopped and pulled back, scanning Diana as she laid limply in his arms. Her eyes abruptly snapped open, a gasp echoing from her lips and Kal sighed in relief as he stared into her beautiful orbs.

A blur of motion registered next to him, heading towards them.

Kal caught the fist that was headed for his face and swiftly crunched bones, turning his head to look at Hermes' heavily marred, snarling face. Bone had begun to grow back, skin stretching across his scorched cheekbones. Rage filled him at Hermes' cowardly actions and he inhaled deeply, feeling the power within him grow until he unleashed a mighty force of wind through his mouth, smashing Hermes into the approaching Artemis.

He looked down as Diana gripped his arm tightly as her features were painted in discomfort. Kal watched as the scars from his heat vision began to heal, and he had never been more relieved. Her acceptance and the unlocking of her true abilities must have augmented her healing capabilities. It especially helped that the injuries were less severe thanks to his heat vision cauterizing the grievous wounds.

"You think that just because you had managed to kill my worthless brothers, that you can defeat me?" Ares snarled, finally fully healed as he stalked towards them.

Wally suddenly looked up from his position over Aphrodite, holding a sword to her elegant neck, "Well, yeah. I mean, look at how many you had started with and how many are now left - almost half have been killed. Be honest, you sick fucker, we're kicking your ass!"

Kal helped Diana stand up, turning to face Ares, "It is useless to resist, Ares. You cannot win. You've made me truly angry, and we both know that none of you will last much longer with all of us attacking you." He said honestly, regretting it when Ares grinned lustfully, a cloud of war-like energy bubbling from the Celestial in absolute glee.

"No, Kryptonian, you cannot win. You have no idea the plans implemented, how could you? It is you who have lost - you just didn't know it. Not all of you will be attacking us!" Ares suddenly motioned with his hands and a large television screen appeared, rising from the ground for all to see.

Wally's jaw dropped, becoming distracted, and Hermes blurred over, smacking him towards Kal and Diana. He tumbled into Diana's legs and Kal helped him up, noticing that several of Wally's ribs were broken.

"Now, let's reveal all of the cards in the deck, as the mortals say, Kryptonian." Ares snarled and the screen turned on and Kal felt the sky bear down on him.

The face of Lex Luthor stared back at him in victory, dark eyes gleaming with malice. " _Hello, Clark,"_ he purred. " _It's good to see you. How have you been, old friend? Oh, wait. I can't predict your answer like I used to. After all, I have no idea because we haven't spoken in over a decade."_ The usual smooth-talking President's face cracked, rippling under the torrents of scorn that flashed through his countenance, " _How about we… catch up, Clark? You can easily find me, Superman."_

Kal shook his head, "Lex…" he trailed off, disbelief coursing through him as the truth stared him in the eye, unrelenting in its realization. He vaguely heard Wally ask 'what was going on?' to Diana but he ignored them.

Lex grinned, teeth gleaming like a shark, " _Yes, it was all me, Clark. It's always been me. …The author of all your pain!"_

"Why would you do this? How are you doing this? You - …" he abruptly realized how they had been set up, manipulated this entire time. "You're working with Ares," he breathed out horrified, warily staring at all of the Celestials' smirking faces.

" _Well, that's what you do for family, Clark."_ Lex hummed, sounding calm, but his dark eyes showcased his unholy rage, the immaculate hatred. " _You know, I had once thought that we were family, Clark. You and J'onn were once the brothers that I never knew that I had needed in my life. The Kents, may they rest in peace, were my true parents."_ Sadness flashed in the depths of Luthor's eyes, showing Kal that his old friend was still in there, inside the monster that had stolen Lex's face. _"Now, we have reached the end of the road, Clark, and now you must choose."_

"Choose what?" Diana suddenly spoke, lightning flashing across her fingertips in a display of her new-found power, "What are you up to, Luthor? I've always known that you were a conniving monster."

Lex raised a brow, unimpressed, " _Wonder Woman, be lucky that you are not counting worms yet,"_ he raised a brow in disdain. " _You would've long been pushing up daisies if it weren't for me convincing Ares to wait._ _Anyway, I must thank you, Diana. May I call you, Diana?"_ Lex didn't wait for a response, " _If it wasn't for your presence, Diana, it would have been much harder for me to implement my plans. Because of you, I will succeed and immortality will be mine."_

"Get on with it, Luthor!" Ares snarled, cutting off the President of the United States. "I'm anxious to kill these disrespectful pretenders."

" _Fine, let's get this out of the way."_ Lex exited the screen, showing only a pure, white room. Suddenly, the camera zoomed out, showing everything in the room. Kal felt his hands shake and Diana gasped as Pete Ross was held in Mongul's grip, dangling from beefy fingers like a piece of hair. " _As you can clearly see, Clark, our old classmate is in my grasp. Now, you can choose to continue laying siege to the Celestials and plundering their home, or you can come to my location and save Pete."_ Lex tilted his head, " _It's your decision, Clark."_

"Mongul!" Diana exclaimed, "How is he alive?"

" _I have to thank you for that, Diana. Since you captured him, A.R.G.U.S. contained the alien and he now works for me."_ Lex seemed to pet Mongul's arm, stroking the alien's skin like he would an animal's. " _Anyway, back to the true reason for this 'reunion'. Clark, it is time for the moment, time for your choice to be known: Diana and the Flash, or Pete Ross."_ Lex stared into Kal's eyes calmly, a small smirk dancing across his features.

Kal knew that his current conundrum was definitely the true reason for the saying 'between a rock and a hard place'. He didn't know what to do; Ares, Hermes, Aphrodite, and Artemis were still waiting patiently for his decision, showing their superiority in the postures of their Avatars, the subtle arrogance carved into their faces. They were powerful and Kal feared that Diana and Wally wouldn't be able to defeat them without him. Although, the _only_ reason that Diana had been stabbed by Ares was that her rage had clouded her judgment, degrading her fighting skill.

" _I'm running out of patience, Clark. Who do you choose?"_ Lex twitched his fingers subtly and Mongul's hand suddenly clenched, and Pete hysterically cried out in pain like a wounded animal, mouth stretched painfully outwards, eyes closed in searing agony. Mongul's burly fingers pressed into Pete's skull, and Kal saw the skin begin to break, bones begin to bend.

"Wait! Hold on! Just... give me a second!" Kal screamed, mind racing as he stared at Pete's wide eyes portrayed on the screen.

Diana touched his arm, "Go save Pete, Kal," her eyes were soft, yet determined. "He needs you more than we do at the moment. He's your friend - and mine, too. Wally and I will be fine fighting Ares and the others _._ I'm no longer filled with animal-like anger, Kal." She placed her hand against his cheek, thumb gently rubbing his skin, easing his perpetual struggle, "Go, Kal," she whispered. "Go save our friend."

"Supes, we've got this. I know he's your partner at the Daily Planet; he's a friend, I get it. Go save him, man," Wally blurred over and touched his shoulder, "You don't need to worry about us. We've already displayed our ass-kicking skills!" His eyes darted towards the impatient Celestials, "Besides, that dude is literally in my shoes from over two years ago." Kal's mind flashed back to the moment when he had begun his journey, his decision to help the Justice League in their fight against Mongul. Then, he had plucked Wally from Mongul's giant fist, saved his now friend from an inevitable death. Now, he had to do it again except Pete, one of his oldest friends, was held in the monster's grip.

Kal smiled softly and nestled his face into her palm gratefully, memorizing the feel. "Alright," he said quietly, pulling back and turned to the screen where Lex was looking down at a watch, eyebrow raised. "I'll choose Pete, Lex."

" _Good, good! Yes! I knew that you would choose our old classmate! It's as I foresaw. Finally, the climax of everything that I have built is about to begin. Soon, the keys to immortality will be mine for the taking."_ Lex's eyes sparkled through the screen maniacally, " _You better get here fast, Clark, or Pete Ross will be a pile of goo when you arrive."_ The screen suddenly disconnected and Kal slumped, knowing that Lex had been replaced with the monster who had kidnapped Pete. He knew that his old friend, the man who he had once thought of as another brother, was still in there, in that deranged President of the United States. Luthor's emotions when speaking about Jonathan and Martha Kent were clear as day - the sorrow.

"Well, you heard about the mortal's death sentence, _Kryptonian._ " Hermes snarled, "Or, please, stay, and I can avenge my ancestors that your people unjustly slaughtered! I beseech you, _Kryptonian,_ let me drive my weapons through your accursed skull!"

Ares chuckled darkly, "You could do that or you can go save your precious friend, _Kryptonian._ It would be a shame if my nephew went back on his word." Kal's eyes widened in shock at the word 'nephew'. He shook his head and glanced at Diana. She nodded encouragingly and Kal sighed, not necessarily wanting to leave, but he rocketed off the ground, creating a small crater, tearing out of Everest.

He flew faster than he had ever pushed himself, forcing himself to dig deeper. He had to save Pete! He had already lost J'onn and then Lex. He couldn't lose another person who he thought of as a brother.

XxXxXxXxXxX

The shaking abated, the subtle power that hummed throughout Olympus drifted away, leaving the six beings staring at each other, waiting for the inevitable, for the second confrontation to come. A tense breath, muscles twitching in preparation for the rush of battle, tongue darting out to wet suddenly dry lips, and Wally knew that he was in for the fight of his life. This time, Clark wouldn't be here and it was up to him to aid Diana to the best of his abilities.

Diana stepped closer, a sword materializing in her hand, "Wally, grab Kal's blade," she ordered, voice dark, looking every bit like the vengeful goddess that some of the world's inhabitants believed her to be.

Wally zipped over to Clark's sword and picked through the rubble, feeling conscious of the fact that the blade he was going to wield was somewhat responsible for the Eradication of the Celestials. He finally found it, but when he went to pluck it up, the blade refused to move at all. He grunted and his body vibrated with lightning as he struggled to even move the sword. Mindful that at any moment he could be attacked, he blurred back to Diana's side. "I can't pick it up!" He hissed, warily watching all of the Celestials' movements.

"Here," she summoned another blade and Wally grabbed it gratefully. Diana didn't spare him a glance as she continued to speak, "Forgive me, Wally, I had forgotten that the blade weighs far more than you could ever handle and that it only allows one with Kryptonian DNA to wield it."

He raised his eyebrows as he digested that information. "I'll never cease to be awestruck by how powerful the Kryptonian race was," he whispered.

"Me neither," she murmured back.

Artemis suddenly spoke, a glowing bow and arrow held in her hands. "You know, the _Kryptonian_ should have remained on Olympus. If he had, you would both live past these coming days."

Ares laughed, his booming voice making Wally almost flinch, "You are right, dearest sister." He created a large, double-headed ax with fiery cracks of magma spider webbing throughout the gleaming metal. "It's almost a shame, I had wanted the _Kryptonian_ to witness the dismemberment of his lover." The Celestial's eyes glowed with malice, "I will enjoy raping you, Diana. I truly hope you will be as tight as your mother because-"

Wally blurred over and slashed his sword at Ares' face only for the Celestial to smack it to the side with his ax. Wally ducked beneath a large fist and felt a body smash against his own.

Hermes loomed over him, "You will regret your sacrilege, _mortal._ I will kill you slowly, and only when the last hope in your eyes has faded, will I grant you the sweet, merciful release of death."

He swallowed his fear and adopted a conceited expression, an arrogant smirk plastered on his face, "Dude, why are you so grouchy?" He tapped his chin thoughtfully, mocking the Celestial. "Oh, I know! Was it because that goat you had fucked rejected you? I wish - wait, actually, I don't - that I could help you out by saying that I've been there, but, sadly for you, I've never been dimwitted enough to fuck a - oh _shit!"_ He yelped and narrowly dodged a spear hurling towards his face.

"You mewling quim!" Hermes roared, blurring forward, "I will crush you!" He blurred forward and Wally bolted forward, the two beginning to battle in super speed.

Hermes suddenly swept out his leg, but Wally leaped over the sprawled limb, catching Hermes in the face with a quick jab. He followed with a slash of his sword but the Celestial caught the blade, face twisted, rippling with disdain. The blade was then wrenched out of Wally's grasp, shaking the speedster with the motion.

He lashed out with his leg, smacking Hermes in the side, but the Celestial didn't even flinch. Zooming forward, fists outstretched towards Wally's face, Hermes swiped to the right, but the moment that Wally dodged, a fist smashed into his cheek, cracking bone.

Wally staggered back and Hermes continued, relentless in his pursuit, the predator hunting its prey. Wally leaned back, narrowly avoiding Hermes' kick to the face, lashing out towards the Celestial's exposed face. Wally winced as Hermes suddenly head-butted his incoming fist. Hermes then quickly slugged him in the abdomen and Wally fell to the floor in a heap of heaving limbs.

"You're weak, mortal," Hermes hissed as Wally unsteadily climbed to his feet, fists outstretched in a display of bravado. "I have watched you worms all this time - all of you scared and alone. In the world of mortals, you play at being heroes, but here, you are less than nothing! Without the Kryptonian _,_ who will be able to save you now?"

An arrow suddenly caught Wally through the leg, tearing through his muscles like tissue paper. He cried out in pain, sinking back to the ground as he yanked the arrow out, hissing through his clenched teeth. Staring at the two shadows looming over him, he knew that he had to stall for time so that he could, at least, adequately heal.

"I can't believe that it took you this long to trap a mortal, brother," Artemis muttered coldly, staring down at Wally in disgust.

Hermes anger was tangible, "Shut up, Artemis! If you hadn't interfered, I would have-"

Artemis snorted, "Save the excuses, Hermes, and execute the lowly mortal." She glanced to the side, immediately walking to where her attention had been captured, and Wally risked a small peek to the side.

Diana was fighting both Ares and Aphrodite at once, parrying and blocking their attacks. She twirled around, blocking Aphrodite's slash while shooting lightning into Ares' armored form. Wally dimly noticed that Aphrodite didn't fight with the utter tenacity and animalistic urgency that the other Celestial's did. Rather, she seemed to lack the resolve her siblings had, almost as if she was timid, tired _._

"You will suffer for the insults that you dealt me, _mortal,_ the utter disregard and ignorance of knowing to respect your betters." Wally's eyes connected with bloodlust-filled ones and he scooted away as the Celestial advanced, "Your death will be most memorable; I will cherish the memory for the rest of my perpetual years. Know this, _mortal:_ your final moments in this world will be ones of… complete and utter agony." Hermes snarled, stalking closer, the triumph shining in his bright eyes.

Wally felt his wounds, and pain stretched through his leg, but it wasn't as unbearable as it had been earlier. He felt the arrow rub against his hands, soothing his anxiety, his fear as death almost seemed a certainty. His perception narrowed, focusing on his abilities. Time stood still as Wally shifted the burly arrow in his fingers, preparing for the moment.

Hermes hoisted Wally into the air, gripping his throat tightly. "Oh, I'm going to... enjoy this, mortal _,"_ he whispered, anticipation twitching through the Celestial's features.

Wally smiled, "Me too, goat-fucker," he choked out, amused at the flash of befuddlement and fury that crossed over Hermes' face. With all the power that he possessed, Wally screamed as his lightning-coated arm blurred upward as he brutally jammed the arrow through the Celestial's exposed jaw, tearing through bone until the weapon grazed through where a human brain would reside.

He fell to the ground, wincing as his leg connected with the marble, but Wally was too busy watching his opponent. Hermes staggered towards him, blue sparks beginning to waft off his body in a display of imminent mortality. Wally gasped as Hermes, with the last of his strength, summoned a sword and swiped it at Wally as he suddenly dispersed in a shower of blue sparks just like his siblings had.

Wally sprang backward, avoiding the complete dismemberment of his abdomen, but because of his injury, he wasn't able to avoid all of the blade's trajectory. He cried out in pain as the gleaming sword sliced his stomach several inches deep.

His hands urgently clutched his stomach, trying to stem the flow of blood, watching as the floor became further stained crimson. He breathed a sigh of relief as he knew that he wouldn't die from his wounds, but he did know that he couldn't help Diana any longer. From this point forward, he was only a liability.

The only thing that he could do was watch helplessly as his friend fought against three Celestials and seemed to be losing. He had failed to triumph as he had sought to, and just like Jasper Leeland, Diana was going to suffer because of Wally's impotence.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Staring into the darkened sky, the pale blast of the Bat symbol disturbing the dark, Bruce began to become angrier. He had waited for over an hour now, and that damned alien hadn't arrived yet. _'Next time they shine your light in the sky, don't go to it. The Bat is dead. Bury it. Consider this mercy, Bruce.'_ The fiend in the sky had clearly threatened Bruce, divulging his displeasure. _Superman_ had ordered Bruce to stop being 'Batman' and for his light to never shine in the sky again, or the alien would kill him.

There was no other explanation! He knew a threat when he heard one.

Selina was at the top of Wayne Enterprises, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. He was grateful for her presence and felt that his decision to kill _Superman_ was fortified because she supported him. It didn't matter, not at all, that he was slightly manipulating her, using her love for Jason and hatred of the Joker to finally open her eyes to the truth - _Superman_ needed to die. Even though he wished that he didn't need to exploit her out-of-control emotions, he forced himself not to regret his actions because he knew that if, for even a second, he allowed the regret to seep into his heart, all of his plans for the past two years would have been meaningless, when they were the opposite! Without Selina's support, Bruce was absolutely certain that he would be unable to kill _Superman._

Now, because she had joined his viewpoint because of his machinations, he would be able to keep her future self's murder at the forefront of his mind when confronting _Superman_. The murder of his lover and unborn son fueled his hatred,drowning his mind with memories of that cataclysmic future, the future that _Superman_ had been responsible for, causing the deaths of billions!

For the past two months or so, he had focused all of his time since the Joker incident training to confront _Superman._ As a result, the crime rate in Gotham had risen, hesitantly seeking to confirm that the 'Bat' was dead, but he ignored it for now. He knew that once that damned alien was killed, he could focus back on the scum in Gotham. For now, he was dealing with the bigger threat, the one whom will destroy humanity! He had seen it, the future which provided evidence of his correct viewpoint.

" _Darling,_ " Selina's voice echoed in his ears, transmitted through the coms. " _I've_ _found something that might peak your interest. There is an old man being assaulted by what looks like several young men several blocks to your right."_

Bruce growled lowly, "I'll take care of it, but the moment when he arrives, let me know." He glanced at the Kryptonite spear held in his clenched fist and slammed the green, deadly-sharp speartip into the ground, effortlessly breaking through cement.

He was proud of his home-engineered weapon, the tool that would slay _Superman_. Once he had been gifted the Kryptonite nugget from Arthur, he could have commissioned the substance into any weapons that he had wanted, but he had enjoyed the poetic justice of manufacturing a spear. _That_ would be how he finished the fiend, but Bruce needed to be close, needed to feel the alien's skin and bones cave in at the feel of his unholy hate, of his vengeance for the murder of his future unborn son.

At first, he had tried to create Kryptonite bullets, but the substance was much too dense to create perfect, precise, pinpoint bullets that would fit in his firearms - it had been hard enough to even create the spear tip, and gas grenades. It was like sticking small rocks into the barrel of a rifle - they wouldn't, couldn't fit.

But the spear was perfect. In the Bible, Jesus Christ of Nazareth was the true Son of God, and Bruce knew with absolute faith that _Superman_ wasn't at all like Jesus. The alien was borne of the Eradicators, destined to destroy worlds like his ancestors. Hal Jordan had shared as much with him before he had left Earth after the Kryptonian Invasion, undertaking a crucial mission for the Guardians of Oa.

No. While Jesus was a true God, _Superman_ wasn't and Bruce would wield the Kryptonite spear - the weapon that pierced the side of Jesus as he hung on the cross - into the alien's skull, killing him.

"Keep me posted," he said gruffly to Selina through the coms, leaping off the roof, not even feeling the usual flare of pain that wrenched through his knees when he did such a maneuver without his mech suit

He followed Selina's directions, aligning with the shadows as he traveled to the location. He was about to round the corner when he heard harsh voices raised, and mocking laughter, and saw the shadows on the walls seem to come alive, playing a game of death along the surface.

"Muthafucka, we gon' make your ancient, honky tongue come out the back of yo' head! Your money, now!"

Bruce sprinted, moving agilely in his heavy armor, around the corner. As he did so, he felt his jaw grind together angrily at the sight before him. Five young thugs, two black and two white and an olive-skinned man, in coats that touched the edges of their ankles, were arrayed in a threatening semicircle around an elderly man, trapping him against a squalid brick wall. Their stances were prideful, knees slightly bent, limbs poised, but loose. In all, their bodies were displayed as blunt and ugly aspects of any weapon, cocked and ready to explode with no control. With a start, Bruce realized that the aged man had already been beaten, blood dripping from his thin lips and a few bruises had blossomed across his sunken cheeks.

"Hurry, muthafucka," one of the men snarled, wiry, with a reckless sneer across his defiant, rage-filled face. "We come in here, scavenge all ole' hicks like you and gather goods to trade for our bling-bling, yo'!"

One of the other men grinned, several golden teeth gleaming in the dim light of the alley, making him look vile. "Can't ever have too much bling-bling," he said, the light reflecting a tattoo of an eagle on his right cheek. "Or, do you know not the bling-bling business, honky?"

"Ya, honky," the short, sinewy, sunburnt man said, goggle-eyed. "You don't look to know shit about anything."

A biting laughter cut through the air, filling Bruce's heart with rage. "Look at the muthafucka! He wants to stop us, but his old, sorry ass is too fucked up!" The fourth man leaned in toward the old man, "Ya, honky, whatcha gon' do? Sue us to fuckin' death?" They all laughed raucously, making stylized, exaggerated writing gestures of court papers towards the aged man, who shrank back even further against the wall as they closed in.

The second black man, thick-muscled and heavyset, drew a pristine-looking baseball bat from beneath the folds of his ankle-touching coat. "That's right, honky. Put your hands up, wrinkle-face! We gonna break yo' knuckles hard and fast and, most importantly, good." He roughly slapped the bat against his cupped palm, the sound snapping through the alley like a gunshot. "You want it all at once, or one at a time?"

"Yo," The final man cried, his olive-colored skin gleaming under the light reflected from the bat. "This muthafucka don't get to choose how we get to have fun." He pulled out his own baseball bat and advanced predatorily on the elderly man.

Bruce had had enough.

As the kid brandished the bat, the Batman harshly slashed his armored fingers against the bricks, creating a screeching sound that pierced through the air like a crying babe.

"Yo, what the fuck was that?" One said and they all glared down at the aged man, determining that the innocent, elderly victim was the perpetrator.

All of a sudden, one of the goons saw Bruce's looming shadow, decked in Kryptonian armor, and the strongest metals on Earth. The dim light in the alley illuminated his armored body magnificently, making him seem like a monster who had risen from the depths of the Underworld, sneaking past Cerberus himself to wreak death.

"Great sex-deprived slut!" The leader exclaimed and they all sprang back, features paler than snow. "It's _him!"_ The same thug cried, his whole body trembling with terror, "He's come muthafucka beyond all muthafuckas has returned to Gotham! The Bat! He's _come back!"_

Bruce smirked slightly, feeling the beast roar in his heart, demanding vengeance be served upon the scum who had sought to beat this defenseless, innocent, aged man, who had sought to undermine his city's safety! These worthless, shit-brained thugs had sought to threaten Gotham, had dared to defy him and rise above their place. They had dared to create chaos whence there should _only be order._

There would be no mercy for these evil-minded bastards. Instead, there would only be death. He took pride in the fact that he would replace evil with death _._

He rushed forward, gripping the baseball bat and wrenched it out of the thug's hands. Tattoo-cheek, on Bruce's right, cursed mightily, swinging his clenched fist, bristled with sharp, small daggers, towards Bruce's exposed mouth.

Upon that instant, in the dark, thinly-veiled, and deadly place inside Bruce's mind, the Batman persona roared in hatred, taking firm control. His armored jaw tilted upward and to the right, deflecting the blow from tattoo-cheek. He swiftly slammed his open palm into the thug's sternum with a sickening _crunch._ The man stumbled back, clawing at his more-than-partially caved-in chest.

Suddenly, _something_ connected with the back of Bruce's armored head, and he turned around, aluminum bat held in his grip. He was met with the sight of one of the black men holding a crushed baseball bat, staring up at Bruce with fear. With a start, he realized that the bat had become crumpled upon contact with his armor.

The black man held up a hand in a fearful gesture of surrender, "Yo, what kinda muthafucka are you?"

Bruce didn't answer as he heard one of the other men fire a gun. He instinctively braced himself for the hot flash of pain, but when he didn't feel anything, the Batman, with deadly accuracy, flung the baseball bat towards the black man, striking the thug between the eyes. An almost gleeful emotion ruptured in Bruce's soul as he dispassionately watched as the black man's skull was smashed open from the bat, dead eyes permanently showcasing terror.

He turned around slowly, gazing at the remaining men. One of them, a black man, held a small switchblade, while the other man, the olive-skinned one, had pulled out a gun - a cheap 1930's revolver - and shakily pointed it at Bruce. Tattoo-cheek held one hand against his caved-in chest, razor-coated knuckles on his other hand waving wildly at him, while the final man seemed to be weighing his options of fighting or fleeing with his tail between his legs.

A bead of sweat rolled down the gun-wielder's forehead, and the gun raised slightly, aiming towards Bruce's exposed mouth. Reacting instinctively, Bruce raised his armored hand, shielding his mouth. Then, gunfire exploded against his palm, but he felt none of it. The bullets bounced off the metal and screams of pain echoed through the alley.

"Ya fuckin' Five-O cocksucker! Muthafucka, we jus' tryin' to make some bling-bling! Come _on, bitch!"_ The gun-wielded screamed from his position on the ground, blood spurting from his chest, death imminently approaching.

Bruce bolted forward as the man without any weapon rushed for the discarded revolver, face pinched with adrenaline. The man dove for the weapon, but Bruce's armored knee smashed into the man's head with power, cleaving it from the man's shoulders, blood spraying Bruce's armor _red._ The decapitated head rolled unevenly towards the two remaining scum _._

Tattoo-check animalistically screeched at him, "Ya _cunt!_ " He lurched forward, fists projected for Bruce's mouth once again, but the Batman simply caught the fist, squeezing tightly. Tattoo-cheeks's hand bones quivered and then snapped, screams of pain following. "I'm not afraid of you!" The thug roared out, eyes flashing with hate and pain.

"Then you will die braver than most." Bruce snarled out, voice modulator darkening his voice to that of a robotic baritone, to that of a monster. Abruptly, he saw a blur as the man with the switchblade lunged towards them, determination carved into his ugly countenance. The Bat stepped into the attack, and with his other armored fist, delivered a sharp, short blow to the inside of the assailant's wrist, breaking the bone. The switchblade fell from numb fingers to the alley's floor, skittering away towards the elderly man hunched against the wall for protection. Bruce hooked his foot behind the man's ankle and abruptly wrenched his leg upward. The thug fell on his back, turned over and scrambled away.

He was escaping!

The Batman swiftly wrapped his armored hands around tattoo-cheek's neck, wrenching his wrists in opposite directions, a sickening crunch echoing through the alley. Bruce carelessly dropped the corpse and went to chase after the last thug, the thrill of the chase howling through his blood, the Batman persona in firm control. Whereas Bruce Wayne's world was ordinary, the Batman's was extraordinary, running parallel to the billionaire's. The Batman's world was secret, rarefied, highly-privileged, and _deadly_ , flaring like pure napalm in his mind during the night he donned the cowl.

" _Help…_ " a weak voice said, and Bruce paused, feeling some semblance of control. "Please, he- help-help me," the elderly man was sprawled on his side, ancient eyes pleading for Bruce to help him.

Bruce kneeled next to the aged man, assisting him with sitting up, eyes assessing for perilous injuries. Besides a cut on the man's lip and the few bruises, the only thing that seemed to inflict him was the shock of what had happened. Bruce felt the beginnings of compassion swirl in his heart. "Just breathe, sir," he said gently, softly so that the voice modulator wouldn't freak out the man. "That's it, sir. Just… in and… out. Breathe with me, all right? Follow my example. Can you do that, sir? I need you to do it." Bruce hadn't done this since he was a child when Alfred comforted him from the nightmares of his parents' murder, but the actions were ingrained in him from countless nights. He inhaled for five seconds, and the elderly man's breath stuttered. Bruce slowly exhaled for several seconds, and the elderly man's actions were much smoother. "You are alright now, sir, okay? They are gone. Are you better?"

The aged man shuddered out a breath, "Yes, thank you, son. Just memories from the war assaulted me and I panicked." He said, glancing at the switchblade several feet away, "You won't mind if I take that, will you? Even though I can handle myself - I killed dozens of Nazis, after all - I would like the thought of having a weapon to defend myself." The man calmly stared at the dead bodies littering the alleyway, slight pleasure carved into his wizened face.

Bruce nodded and slipped the elderly man the blade, feeling his respect for the man grow, "Have you ever seen those men before?"

"No, but I can't say I blame them for their actions." The aged man sighed tiredly, rubbing the side of his neck.

"What do you mean?" Bruce frowned, "They tried to kill you."

A raspy laugh escaped the man's lips, sounding almost like a snort. "They haven't been the first, and with the way that this world has gone to shit, son, they won't be the last." A solemn shake of the head, "Since the arrival of that damned alien they call 'Superman', fear has plagued the hearts of everyone. That fiend has tried to show us a facade, saying that he is a man - ala, 'Super _man'_ \- when he isn't. He's out to destroy us - he's the wolf in sheep's clothing. He's a Super _alien._ " A certain rage colored the man's tone and Bruce recognized it.

Grief.

"He took a loved one from you, didn't he?"

Old, blazing eyes stared up at Bruce, "On that damned day, I lost _everything_ : my home, job, savings, and my entire family - all my sons and daughters and grandchildren smashed by destroyed skyscrapers. Now, because of that fiend, I am the last of my bloodline."

Bruce's fist clenched, teeth grinding against one another in pure hatred. _Superman_ had brutally, unthinkingly ripped countless families apart just like Joe Chill had ripped apart the Wayne family. Now, in Bruce's eyes, there was no difference between the two murderers.

"Don't worry, sir," he placed his armored hand over the elderly man's heart. "I'll make you a promise: Superman will die tonight." He vowed.

The man tilted his side, scrutinizing him, and then he smiled. "Good, that's most good. Thank you, but you don't need to continue to worry yourself about me, son, I'll be fine."

Bruce nodded and fired his grappling hook the top of the building, disappearing into the darkness.

" _Darling,_ _is everything okay?"_ Selina asked in the coms.

Bruce's lips twitched, "Everything is better than okay. This is the night that true justice prevails. "

It had to.

XxXxXxXxXxX

The elderly man, once the Bat had disappeared, stood up, holding his side, his bruised ribs. Those thugs hadn't pulled their punches, which was good. The Bat had fallen for the charade, and it had been glorious.

President Luthor would be pleased to know that the Bat's hatred for _Cain_ burned as bright as ever, if not even brighter. He grasped the switchblade and observed the corpses around him. Skulls were caved in, necks were broken, and all of them had one thing in common: dead eyes that were glazed over with fear.

While the man had to admit that the Bat's abilities were most impressive, it wasn't scary. That display of death-giving combat was nothing compared to the war, to the Concentration Camps. It was also nothing because compared to _Cain,_ the Bat was child's play.

The aged messenger for President Luthor slowly stepped out of the alley, and his eyes were drawn to the sight of the Bat's ostentatious light. If all went according to his master's plan, the Bat would become the most feared person on Earth once again.

After walking several blocks, focusing on his breathing, the man quickly found himself in the East End of Gotham. He quickly saw the bright-lighted sign, and entered, hustling as fast as his old limbs could carry him. The _Peep Show_ was easily the most popular strip club in the city, boasting customers from business CEO's to homeless men.

It was the perfect setting to conduct unsavory activities. That was why the aged man had recommended it to the thugs after the deed was concluded.

He kept his head down and bypassed the guards, slipping them each a couple of Benjamins. Once he entered, he shielded his old eyes from the neon-flashing lights that burst throughout the dim-lit room sporadically. Thick beams of oak ran across the low ceiling, plush couches and shiny poles for generating an erection were heavily decorated throughout the room. Candles were lit on every table, but the available light seemed to be sucked up by the darkness.

He slowly crossed the room, eyes observing the beautiful, nude women whose eyes were all glowing with faux emotions, meant to seduce the rich.

The man chose a corner booth, a flickering candle in the center of the table. He gently lowered himself onto the soft cushion and almost sighed aloud in pleasure. His body had been beaten enough; it was time for a relaxed venture.

A thinly-dressed woman with blond hair highlighted with streaks of red approached - a waiter, as she wasn't bare. He ordered a scotch, old eyes almost lazily looking around the room. It was only a matter of time before the boy arrived to vent and rage at him, demanding more than twice the agreed for compensation.

As if a gift from God, he saw the face across the room. It was an ugly, sunburned face set in an oval-shaped head, above a sinewy body pressed tightly against the edges of a frame, next to a nude woman gyrating against a pole, pretty face thrown back in faux lust. The thug stayed in the shadows of his observation point as if they were a piece of armor, the dimly-lit section of the room his refuge. The boy's eyes were riveted on him, equal parts rage and fear in his stare. The elderly man slowly raised a hand and calmly waved the boy over, amused at the hesitancy plastered on the thug's face.

Obviously, the boy was wary that the Bat was going to jump out of the darkness, protecting the aged man, devouring the boy's flesh until nothing remained.

The boy brought his shaking fingers to his lips and wiped the corners of his mouth, shifting his eyes, taking in each customer in the building. Finally, his eyes rested on the nude woman mere feet from him, and confidence grew within the boy, strengthening his spirit. Only then did the thug begin what was obviously a painful journey around the room, heading towards the old man's booth.

For several seconds, the man followed the boy with his eyes. Then he blew out the candle, throwing the table into relative darkness. The boy edged around the corner of the booth, staring at him with a rage-filled, tense expression. "You have tons to answer for me, honky."

"Please, sit down, boy," the aged man calmly said and smiled as the pretty waiter handed him his glass of scotch. "Enjoy the shows around us, what man possibly couldn't?" He sipped his beverage and felt the alcohol pleasantly burn down his throat.

The boy glared at him, but when his eyes glanced at the strippers lavished throughout the room, he sat down across from the elderly man. "Your muthafuckin' ass said that all-"

"I know what I said, boy," the man snapped. "I would give you and each of your _friends_ $3,000 to beat me up in an alley."

"And I'm the only living member, muthafucka. I should kill you right now, honky. Actually, you know what? I think that I will,"

"Then your money goes bye-bye, fool. In fact, I had planned to generously give you the compensation of all your friends, but I guess not." The man brought his scotch to his lips, an obvious gesture of dismissal.

The boy's eyes widened and all signs of rage vanished, replaced by greed. The old man almost snorted. It went to show how much the newer generations valued loyalty. It disgusted him; men like the boy were killed in the war all the time and no tears were wept.

"How much is that?" The boy demanded.

"$15,000."

"Well, gimme the muthafuckin' money, honky."

The man gently placed the scotch back on the table, hands slowly gathering in his lap, gripping the switchblade, "Of course, of course, my friend. In fact, since I've put you through so much trauma, how about I pay one of these ladies to… _love you_."

The boy leaned forward, gripping the edge of the table, "Your honky, muthafuckin' bitch-ass is lucky that I need a good ole' fuckin' or else I'd kill you right now, money or no money. That muthafucka beyond all muthafuckas murdered my friends."

"And, as a result, made you a richer man," he pointed out, gesturing for one of the numerous beautiful women to approach them.

The boy frowned, "They were still my friends, honky _._ Best muthafuckas I've known," his eyes wandered to the nude woman who sultrily approached, breasts swaying with each step she took.

The aged man sipped his scotch, and tossed a little over a thousand dollars on the table, "It's on me. Whatever he wants."

The woman gripped the money and handed it to the waiter as she passed. "In my locker, honey. You know the drill," she moved forward towards the boy, eyes alight with false promises, with false emotions.

The boy licked his lips, hastily unbuckling his belt. "Fuck me. I want _everything,_ " he hissed and quickly pulled his trousers down, manhood becoming more erect with each passing second.

The woman appeared soft, angelic in many ways. She stopped in front of the boy, breasts above him. The tables themselves were very thin while the seats were far apart from one another, so the woman curled across the boy's naked lap, hands cupping his cheeks, breath ghosting over his eager lips.

The boy reached for one of her full breasts and pulled the woman's lips to his own. After several seconds of an intense kiss, the woman pulled back and lowered herself between the boy's open legs, knees scraping against the floor. Her dainty hands wrapped around the boy's phallus and the elderly man looked away as the woman engulfed the erect penis in her mouth.

Instead, he focused on the switchblade in his hands and slowly scooted closer to the engaged couple, making sure that his movements went unnoticed. He heard the boy order the woman to 'ride him like a cowgirl' and sexually please him. The old man knew that his chance to act was approaching, so he breathed deeply, eyes focusing on a point over the boy's shoulder instead of the two's throes of passion.

For several minutes, he kept his gaze on that point as he scooted closer and closer until he was shoulder-to-shoulder with the boy, unable but to watch as the woman bounced up and down, breasts jiggling in the very dim light.

" _Muthafucka_ , I'm going to cum like a horse." The boy hissed through grit teeth, hips thrusting unevenly into the woman. Then, his body jerked sporadically and the woman yelped angrily, almost flying across the booth.

"Haven't you heard of the pull-out method, dumbass?" She hissed and stormed away, anger wafting off her body.

The boy turned to him, a goofy smile plastered across his ugly, sunburned face. "Yo, although yo honky ass got the best muthafuckas I known killed and still owes me my money-"

The man, after making sure none could see them, abruptly jammed the switchblade into the boy's neck, wrenching it upward, watching as life fled from the boy's eyes, "I hate the word 'honky', fool," he growled and pulled the blood-slick blade out, springing back across the booth as much as his advanced age would let him, away from the blood that seeped from the thug's neck like a river.

He quietly exited the strip club and was happy to still have his $15,000. Now, the money would be an extra insurance for his granddaughter - she was the last living member of his family; everyone else had died during _Cain's_ arrival. His hands would be clean from the murder, and nobody would even care that somebody had been murdered in the _Peep Show._

All that was left was for the Bat to kill _Cain._ Then _,_ the elderly man could die knowing that his contract under President Luthor had been concluded to its finest.

XxXxXxXxXxX

 **Well, that's everything for this chapter, folks! I truly hope that you all enjoyed it. Please, remember to leave a review, whether it is positive or negative, I would** _ **really, really**_ **appreciate it.**

 **Let's discuss the chapter, shall we:**

 ****Pete finally comes face-to-face with Lex, the mastermind behind** _ **everything!**_ **Many things are revealed and we find out that 'Cain' is for Clark, deemed appropriate by Lex Luthor because, in his mind, it symbolizes his relationship with Clark Kent. He feels like Abel in the Bible, having been dealt a deadly strike by his brother,** _ **Cain**_ **\- Clark** _ **.**_ **General Lane, in case his motivations weren't clear, blames Kal for Lois Lane's death. She died during the Battle of Metropolis during** _ **Man of Steel,**_ **and Lane has deluded himself into believing that Kal had caused all the damage on purpose. Then, he allies himself with Lex Luthor and he quickly learns of Superman's identity from the President. When he finds out that Clark Kent replaced Lois at the Daily Planet, whatever shreds of sanity and morality that Sam Lane had still possessed vanished like smoke. Although Kal's actions in joining the Daily Planet were done without malicious intent, General Lane** _ **does not**_ **see it that way.**

 **Also, the Enigma code machine in World War II was a** _ **real thing!**_ **The Germans used it to transmit messages to the commanding officers of the Third Reich and it was** _ **crucial**_ **during the infancy and mid-term of the war. Although it has never been fully proven, rumors have arisen in the past several decades that Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister during World War II, had known of the attack on the industrial city of Coventry beforehand. (On 14 November 1940, three hundred German bombers dropped** _ **500 tons**_ **of explosives, 33,000 incendiary bombs and dozens of parachute mines on Coventry. During the raid, 507 civilians were killed and 420 seriously injured.) Frequently-made claims quickly arose that Winston Churchill had known of the incoming attack several days in advance, but that he held back the information to protect the most important secret of the war: the German Enigma code had been broken at Bletchley Park - the central site for British codebreakers during the war. Now, was Coventry sacrificed for the greater good, or to provoke America into joining the Allies side of World War II? Nobody knows if that was the truth, but I think it's an excellent symbol that Luthor and General Lane would use.**

 ****Kal, Diana, and Wally travel to Olympus and fight the Celestials! Diana becomes lost to her immense rage and isn't as effective after she learns that Ares had raped her dying mother. Wally fights Hermes and is outmatched because of the Celestial's strength which is far above his even though they are about the same in terms of speed. Kal manages to kill both Apollo and Hercules while Diana slays Hephaestus and Wally** _ **barely**_ **survives his ordeal with Hermes, killing the Celestial. It was** _ **very**_ **difficult to kill a Celestial and Kryptonian. Both species can truly only die by decapitation. Anything less than that, they would shrug off. Kryptonians are essentially immortal anywhere** _ **except Krypton**_ **. The intense gravity and atmosphere is poison for them, so they could only live for about a millennia on Krypton before dying.**

 **Lex appears from a screen and Kal** _ **finally realizes**_ **how much had been hidden from his gaze. He could choose to stay and fight Ares and company with Diana and Wally, or he could choose to fly off and save his friend, Pete Ross. Kal is understandably hesitant, but with the urging of Diana and Wally, he leaves Olympus and travels to the White House.**

 ****If you have a problem with Kal killing, then I'll explain my reasoning. When I had first started this story, there were two ways that I could've written it out: good prevails over evil, Nazis are in positions of power,** _ **and**_ **the Nazis can be killed** _ **without**_ **consequences because** _ **Nazis are just, simply, evil dicks.**_ **OR, the story would be a lot more messy, convoluted in many ways, where everyone is pushing for their own gain, and the world is trapped in this era of political intrigue and corruption that demands the characters think hard on who to follow and who to trust. As you probably guessed, I** _ **tried**_ **to base my story on the latter portion because,** _ **in my opinion**_ **, the former is lazy writing. Not to say that I don't like the whole 'good triumphs over evil in the end' spiel; I love** _ **Star Wars**_ **(the original and prequels, never the newer ones -** _ **the Force Awakens**_ **and** _ **the Last Jedi**_ **\- because those ones** _ **suck.**_ **) and that franchise is one of the many that fanned my flames of passion for writing. Simply, I want to write a very smart, and very thoughtful story. I don't know if I've done that, but I like to think that I'm on my way in that direction.**

 **That being said, Kal is battling people who are nearly on par with him in terms of power. They said** _ **multiple**_ **times,** _ **to his face,**_ **that once Kal was killed, Diana would be** _ **raped**_ **. I'm sorry, but I think that any man who desires to protect his mate would go** _ **absolutely**_ **berserk and kill Hercules, Ares, and Apollo.**

 **Now, I know that some people might view Kal as a hypocrite because of this, but I don't think that's really true. For those of you who say this: "Oh, if Superman kills Hercules or Apollo or Zod or any villains, it betrays the pacifist ideals that he holds close to his heart! Superman doesn't kill! He has never killed in the movies - ala, Christopher Reeves Superman - or the comics." You just basically admitted that there would be** _ **no negative consequences**_ **if Kal killed Hercules or Apollo or Zod or any villains. Villains are villains! They kill people, steal money, and make life** _ **miserable!**_ **They are a menace to society! Their deaths lead to a positive outcome and Kal's conscious could be clean because, unlike some other heroes in comics** _ ***cough*cough* Batman *cough*cough***_ **, those villains cannot harm anyone else if** _ **they're dead.**_ **In** _ **Superman II**_ **, Superman kills the Kryptonians with a** _ **smile on his face.**_ **Yet, people loved that movie when that one scene was reminiscent of a psychopath rather than** _ **Man of Steel**_ **when Kal lets loose a gut-wrenching,** _ **agonizing**_ **cry of despair because he had had to kill Zod, the last living member of his species.**

 **The Celestials, specifically Ares and Hercules, are basically terrorists who are in league with Lex Luthor. If people assume that killing a terrorist while self-identifying as a pacifist is** _ **worse**_ **than being that said terrorist in the first place, then the world would have ended long ago. Having the decision to kill in spite of being a self-proclaimed pacifist is the most basic requirement for being** _ **any**_ **kind of political leader. It's why nations who hold nuclear weapons have what's called a** _ **second-strike policy.**_ **It pretty much states that 'We won't instigate a nuclear attack, but if you bomb us, we** _ **will**_ **bomb you right back.' Having the** _ **first-strike policy**_ **is a terrible idea, and if it had existed or been in place, the world would have ended in the Cold War during the Cuban Missile Crisis, but what's also a terrible idea is the** _ **never-launch the missile policy.**_ **Any world leader who hesitates, for even a moment, to defend his people while they're under a real attack, is a leader that should be** _ **immediately**_ **removed from office. Kal is basically a world leader in a way, and has to be prepared for situations that humans cannot handle, situations that he** _ **must**_ **be able to - ala, the Kryptonian invasion. Tough calls have to be made, and Kal can make those tough decisions in this story.**

 **(For example, if someone held a gun to a woman's head and her husband or brother or son or whoever, had the** _ **chance**_ **to save the women without endangering her or themselves, then** _ **anyone**_ **would do so, but that's unrealistic. That gun symbolizes how precious life is for the human race, and how a single bullet can snuff it out. The husband, if he had managed to distract the gun-wielder and safely removed his wife from the gun-wielder's line-of-sight, I** _ **guarantee**_ **you that the husband, if the gun had been somehow kicked out of the mugger's hand, would pound away into the man, unleashing his adrenaline and rage, his** _ **fear.**_ **It's completely normal to want to kill the one who threatened your loved ones and** _ **nobody**_ **would condemn that husband for beating the** _ **living shit out of that man.**_ **) Kal is the same way; Diana is his mate, his loved one and Hercules** _ **and**_ **Ares threatened to rape her and then kill her.**

 ****Yes, I know that Batman is a complete turd and batshit-insane in this story, but he will, eventually, have his redemption. He's just lost his way like anybody can easily do in life. That's all it is. His rage is clouding his judgment and he is too blind to see that he is being manipulated like a fool by Lex Luthor and the old man.**

 **By the way, honky is a derogatory word, a** _ **slur**_ **for white people.**

 **Well, I think that's everything. So, please remember to leave a review and tell me what you thought about the chapter! Whether it's positive or negative, I really appreciate it!**

 _ **Stay Safe  
**_ **ButtonPusher**


	12. Chapter 11

**Thanks for all the reviews! I love hearing all of the feedback from you guys! It makes my day every time I see a new review!**

 **I know that it's been a while - far too long, really - and I sincerely apologize for the long wait. Before I started writing, I had mentally mocked writer's block, but now having been afflicted by it several times, I publicly apologize for my ignorant and selfish behavior.**

 **Writing block sucks!**

 **Also, I edited and changed some parts from the last chapter because I didn't like how it came out. I read your comments and I thank those of you who pointed out some of the inconsistencies. I agreed with you and fixed the errors. They weren't major, don't worry. Just patching up some plot holes and fixing grammar mistakes was pretty much it. The main, minor changes took place during the battle between Kal, Diana, and Wally versus the Celestials. Everything is just about the same as it happened, but if you want to browse through the last chapter, feel free to do so.**

 **There are some dark moments in this chapter. The scene will be marked, so if you don't want to read it, you'll know when it's coming.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Justice League or any of the characters associated with DC Comics.**

XxXxXxXxXxX

Lex smiled and turned to him with a long needle, forcing Pete to swallow in apprehension. He noticed General Lane pull a small, minuscule device from his pocket, Mongul an ever-present shadow looming over them all.

"Do you know what this is, Mr. Ross? No, of course, you don't." The General stepped forward, "This will assure Cain's compliance with our plan, even more so than what he has already seen."

Pete took a step back, but Lex's hand landed on his shoulder, gripping it with surprisingly painful strength. "Don't worry, Pete. You won't feel a thing." He waved the needle in front of him. "That's what this is for. It's an anesthetic, a nerve blocker."

"What are you going to do to me?" He dared, wondering when Clark would arrive and save him.

"It's only a micro-detonator, Pete," Lex said cheerfully and moved directly behind Pete, needle pressed to an area behind his neck. "It's also an agony matrix, designed by yours truly. I know that you've been wondering how I've kept Mongul under control."

"You utilized it on him," he breathed out in terror. If that small device was able to control _Mongul,_ an alien whom was able to battle the entire Justice League at once, what would it do to Pete's body?

"You're quite bright, Pete. A change from when we were in school all those years ago. You have potential, something which I hope will help you see the truth just as I and General Lane do." The needle abruptly surged through his skin, deep into his spinal cord, making Pete gasp in fear and pain as a foreign liquid was expunged. Strangely, after several seconds, he felt a paralysis spread through him. No pain registered as the needle was yanked out not kindly. He was numb, incapable of feeling pain. He dimly wondered in a haze if this was how Clark experienced things.

"Here you go, Mr. President," the General readily, almost eagerly handed the agony matrix to Lex.

Lex nodded approvingly, "Thank you, General Lane," he pulled out a scalpel, showing it to Pete. "See, Pete? You won't feel a thing. Anyway, where was I?"

"Explaining the device, sir," Lane supplied, ever the dutiful soldier.

"Ahh, yes. This device helped contain Batman, so you won't need to worry about life-long consequences from being exposed to it, Pete. Mongul, my greatest compliant achievement thus far, was a difficult recipient. No metal was sharp enough to pierce his skin, so, after much contemplation, I forced it up directly through his nose until the matrix latched permanently to the creature's brain." Pete felt the scalpel dig into his skin, but no pain as the incision was made. "And ever since, Mongul has been my ever-loyal pet, my personal Trojan Horse whom will help to end Cain's reign over Earth."

Pete fully experienced everything that happened as Lex's fingers entered his neck through the incision. It was more than a breach of privacy. If this was how rape felt, he felt more compassion and understanding for those victims than he had ever thought possible. Muscles were pushed aside and Pete was utterly helpless as he felt the matrix _click_ into place. Slowly, Lex's fingers slipped out with a grotesque _squelching_ sound that would haunt Pete for the remainder of his days.

"I suspect we won't have long, sir, until Cain arrives." General Lane grabbed a string-like substance and a needle. "Allow me, Mr. President, to stitch Mr. Ross' incision. I have much experience."

Lex chuckled and moved out of the way, stepping into Pete's eye line. "I'm sure that you do,"

Pete glanced at the monstrous Mongul, swallowing as he wondered if he himself would become so… _dead-looking_ from the matrix. He prayed to whoever was listening and hoped that Clark was on his way.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Kal had followed the sound of Pete's heartbeat and, to his surprise, had been led to the White House, home to his old friend, Lex Luthor, the President of the United States. Then, he had watched as a secret panel shook, moving to the left and light beckoned him forward. He had floated through the dark halls, listening to Pete's rapid heartbeat. Then, through an intricate door, Kal had stepped into a plain, white room, barren except for four heartbeats.

Now, staring sadly at his old friend, Kal knew the _only_ choice that he had to bring out the 'good' in Lex was at this moment. No other better moment would ever present itself. If Lex resisted, then he would do what he must. He truly didn't want to hurt his former friend, but if he was forced by Lex's machinations, he would do so with a heavy soul.

Lex smiled charmingly, sipping a glass of scotch, "Welcome, Clark. It's been a long time… and, finally, here we are." He tilted his head to the side, eyes growing cold, "What took you so long?"

"Let Pete go, Lex," Kal demanded seriously and stepped further into the room, warily gazing at Mongul. The sheer lack of arrogance and intellect in the brute's eyes alarmed him. What had happened to the alien who had traveled to Earth just so that he could 'see what this planet had to offer' in terms of potential? What had Lex done to achieve Mongul's compliance? His eyes darted to Pete and he sighed in relief when there were no signs of injury except several light bruises. "Don't worry, Pete, It will be all right." He stared into his friend's eyes and was relieved to see the sheer trust that shined in them.

"I trust you, Clark, but Lex-" Pete rasped out but was stalled from speaking further as Lex's voice cut through the room.

Lex snorted in derision, "You really shouldn't trust him, Pete, but I know a hopeless cause when I see it. Now, I've been waiting for this moment for years, Clark. My only real regret is that J'onn won't be here to bear witness to my greatness, my ability to triumph over the false god." Lex sighed, motioning to a man in the corner dressed in military fashions, "Clark, this is General Sam Lane, the father of the daughter whom you murdered."

Kal stepped back in shock, not knowing what to really say. He was too poisoned by bafflement, "What?" He bit out after several seconds, "I haven't murdered anybody."

The General pounced forward, defying his age as he bound up to Kal and pointed a gun - a Glock 19 in 9mm, he noticed - straight at his eye, "You did, you fuckin' filth! You murdered my daughter! You are responsible for my dear Lois' death!" Kal's eyes widened and his soul became heavy as he realized how much he had underestimated his old friend. Perry White had often mentioned Lois Lane and how he was glad to see that she would be proud of her worthy successor. Kal now realized how his actions might have possibly been misinterpreted by those closest to Lois Lane.

"That wasn't my intention, sir. I'm so sorry if-"

Lane's eyes gained a monstrous glint, "Now, you see it! You understand! You and your dear fuckin' buddy, Mr. Ross, have stomped on my dear Lois' grave! You insult her name by replacing her at the very job she loved: reporting for the Daily fuckin _'_ Planet!" He fired the pistol and Kal watched as time froze, the bullet slowly approaching his eyeball.

He didn't even feel it when the bullet connected, the metal grinding into a paste upon reaching his eye. Kal watched as General Lane's eyes didn't even register surprise. Instead, only hate shined in his dark, cold orbs, condemning Kal for the sins of the world, crucifying him for something that hadn't been his fault.

"Now, we both hate you, Clark." Lex suddenly said, coming closer, face twisted harshly with anger, "At least for me, I've had over a decade to culminate my hate, learning to use it to achieve my goals. Only the thought of watching you die has kept me going, Clark." Lex grinned, an unholy light flashing through his eyes, relentless in its pursuit of filling Kal with sorrow and regret. "My hate for you and J'onn has gnawed at me incessantly. It has swirled around my soul, coiled through the deepest recesses of my heart. It has walked with me everywhere I've traveled, helped me battle through my many hardships. In a way, Clark, my hate was a better friend than you ever were. I once told you that a man is measured by the quality of his friends and it turned out that my friends were a bunch of traitors. _Cowards!_ My hate has never erased my mind, wiping away an hour of my life."

"Lex, please, you can stop this! I'm sorry that we wiped your mind. J'onn and I were terrified." Kal said desperately, beginning to realize that he had underestimated his old friend's resolve. He had no idea that Lex had somehow regained his memories from that damned day, "You don't need to do this. Either of you! Both you and General Lane can stop this madness and evil. This road you walk isn't cemented; instead, confess to your crimes and only then will peace reach you."

Lex laughed genuinely, "That's funny, Clark. It's too late to stop it; your reckoning has arrived, _Cain."_ He shook his head, "You still yet fail to see the truth _._ I'm not just destroying you because my feelings are hurt. I'm also going to destroy you because of what you've done to the world." He leaned forward, "Think about what you've done, Clark. Truly think about it. This world lives in fear because of you. Now, humans have either loved you or despised you, but, through my machinations, all the people who had loved you now curse your existence, scorning your name as if you were the devil himself! It was truly unsurprising, wasn't it? How… easily they had blamed you, Clark, turned on you just like you and J'onn had turned on me." Lex tapped his chin thoughtfully, "None of them had ever thought that it wasn't your fault. Do you know why that is, Clark? You're an alien, unwanted and hated throughout the world that you claim to love, but nobody loves you, Clark. Why else would J'onn be 'missing' for over two years? I know about your 'relationship' with Wonder Woman, but do you truly think that she will stay by your side once your crimes are revealed to her?"

Kal tried to ignore Lex's words and focused on the latter part, "With my soul, yes. It's a shame that you will never know the true Diana, Lex. She is merciful, kind, understanding, and forgiving; qualities which you know nothing of, if you ever will."

The President frowned darkly, lips thinning in displeasure. "You're a monstrosity, Clark, and once you see that, you will thank me for granting you an utterly undeserved mercy by destroying you. My only regret with my entire effort is that I just get to do it once." Kal closed his eyes and subtly shook his head, trying to physically keep his old friend's words from slithering through his ears, coiling around his mind like liquid geo from the World Engine. "Once you're dead, I will shepherd the people of Earth into a new era! An era that will begin the moment that _Cain,_ the Father of Murder, is dead!"

"No, Lex, please, stop this. Who is Cain?" He immediately regretted asking his question when Lex's eyes glowed with absolute malevolence.

"You, of course, _Cain._ You know the story in the Bible of Cain and Abel. We were brothers, Clark. Cain is for Clark, Abel is for Alexander, and Alexander is for Lex." Lex spat out, fists clenched tightly, "Then you betrayed me! After I heard that the Kents had," Lex's face twisted with sorrow, skin rippling across his cheeks. "…died, I journeyed back to Smallville to mourn with you and J'onn, willing to let any bygones be bygones. Then, I arrived at an empty house, but Hank was there." Kal closed his eyes, feeling ashamed of himself, crucified from the pure rage coloring his old friend's voice because of his own actions. "There was something that I remembered though, Clark." Lex hummed, eyes flashing with utter hatred. "Hank was given food and water every day when I was there, for a week, but it wasn't me who had provided it!"

Kal felt like he couldn't breathe even though that wasn't possible, "I wasn't ready to talk to anyone." He tried to defend himself but, deep down, he knew that, at least somewhat, he was at fault. He had only been a child - and J'onn, too. He had always known how much Lex had valued the Kents and hadn't been surprised to see him staying at the farm for that week, undoubtedly seeking he and J'onn's comfort for grieving together. Kal had watched over him but done nothing to show his friend that he was there. Instead, he had, from a certain point of view, shunned Lex and abandoned him.

"A pathetic excuse, Clark," Lex snarled. "You know, I will always value the lessons that you taught me. You can't trust anybody except yourself, and nobody will ever have your back." He tilted his face, his bald head gleaming under the harsh lights, "It took an _alien_ to teach me life's lessons, and because of that, I've realized, through much contemplation, that time itself is the true enemy. I wasted so much time trying to meet the demands of Lionel's strict lifestyle, trying to conform to be like the Kents, but it was a waste of time! I've seen the truth. Because of you, Clark, I will unlock the keys to immortality. No more time will be wasted for me and my chosen ones. It took your revealing as 'Superman' for me to finally see it."

Kal saw Pete's eyes widen in fear, "What did you do?" His friend asked hoarsely.

"Something which you will never live to see, Pete. It is a revelation too big for little minds. Soon, because of _Cain's_ existence, the world will be joyful over his death, the keys to immortality will be found, and I will shepherd the new world - my world - into an era of greatness _._ Ares and Orm will thank me for my contributions in their quest and soon, my new world will reveal its great potential to the universe." Kal frowned at the reminder that Lex was working with Ares. He was anxious that he had left Diana and Wally to battle them alone, but he was confident that they would be able to defeat Ares and the other Celestials. He honestly didn't know what he would do if that confidence had been misplaced or overvalued.

"Lex, let Pete go," Kal urged, mind sorting through everything that Lex had revealed, "He has nothing to do with this. This is between you and me and J'onn."

Lex seemed insulted, "And why on God's green Earth would I do that, Clark? No. Pete is my… insurance, you could call it, in case things don't go according to my plans. He's an extra chip in my favor to force your hands." A small red button danced in his hand, gleaming in the light.

Foreboding flooded his mind, roaring in his ears of the dangers that would soon come to pass if Kal didn't stop it, "What have you done?"

"You remember the chip that A.R.G.U.S. used to control Bruce Wayne, correct? Well, I simply decided to do the same thing to ole' Pete here, see?"

Kal scanned Pete's body with his x-ray vision this time, and to his horror, glimpsed the agony matrix just as Lex had said. He stepped forward in outrage, "You bastard,"

Lex smiled, "Ahh. There it is," his old friend's eyes shone with a triumphant gleam, "I was wondering when you would begin to get angry. I have to say that… I'm disappointed, _Cain._ " A small smirk, "So, tell me something, Clark: have you realized what I meant when I called myself 'the author of all your pain' or are you still bewildered?" A shark-like grin and Lex clapped his hands together, the sound breaking through the tense atmosphere like a bomb, "It was me _,_ it's always been me _,_ Cain. I was the one who planned out Pete's meeting with Amajagh, the one who tasked the CIA to plant Olsen in the Daily Planet as a photographer, and the one who had arranged for the slaughter of the African village, which was carried through by General Lane on my orders. It was me who, only minutes before your arrival, inserted the agony matrix into Pete." He leaned forward, dark eyes curiously roving Kal's horrified expression, "It was me who had overseen the bombing of Congress, the one who had orchestrated everything like I was Beethoven himself. All the pain that I can see right now shining in your eyes is because of me. I am the villain of this story, _Superman._ Now, because of my grandeur efforts, the truth has been widespread, running rampant like a forest fire: you are a monster. The world hates you, Clark - they call for your death incessantly. Their begging has been perpetual, bringing a peaceful smile to my face. The human race has come together, at least most of them, and their petty vendettas have ceased; their attention is now on you. The world has become safer since your manhunt, Cain. You should thank me, for it was I who designed it all. True world peace is finally within reach, and it is all because of me - but it is as much your victory as mine, I suppose. Humanity has decreed their verdict and I will deliver it! The false god will die and the world will rejoice upon his demise, scorning the name 'Kal-El' for as long as humans roam this world."

"Stop!" Kal cried out, "Lex, stop!" He finally, to his shame, succumbed to Lex's mind games and yelled, shaking the room, cracks spider-webbing through the walls. Through dazed eyes, he watched as General Lane sprang back, fear flashing through his usual-cold eyes. Lex did nothing, only staring at him happily, gleefully. Then, he pressed the red button.

Pete suddenly screamed and Kal whipped around, witnessing his friend being tortured right in front of him.

"Calm yourself, Clark," Lex taunted. "You wouldn't want any more surges of agony to scorch through Pete's nerves, would you?" His thumb let go of the red button, the cries of Pete's screams ceasing.

Kal clenched his fists, contemplating using his super speed to remove the agony matrix from Pete in the same way he had done for Batman during Metropolis' cleanup, but he didn't want to risk it, especially since Mongul was in the room, a formidable threat. He wasn't certain that he could safely remove the device without Mongul interfering in the process. The brute possessed super speed, too - at least enough for Kal to hesitate.

Mongul must be dealt with.

Lex smiled, "I know what you're thinking. Do it! Let your frustration reign, the aggression I see in your eyes. My pet will give you the release you need."

Before he realized what he was doing, and before he fully thought it through, Kal impulsively blurred forward and smashed his fist into Mongul's face with a satisfying crunch. The last time the two had fought, Kal had narrowly been able to defeat the behemoth, but now, Kal was much stronger than he was over two years ago. He had accepted who he truly was: a Kryptonian who was, apparently, unwanted on Earth.

Kal slammed Mongul through the walls. He quickly drove the alien further into the ground, into the planet's crust, unleashing punch after punch, shaking the Earth, trying to erase Lex's manipulative, poisonous words from his mind.

Abruptly, a massive beam of energy surged out of Mongul's chest and Kal was blasted out of the large tunnel he had made, through the room and out into the White Houses' lawn. He landed, creating a small crater and warily stood up, eyes watching as Mongul leaped out of the White House, shaking the ground with his landing.

The two stared at each other, Mongul well over ten feet tall, yellow skin glowing with strength. Kal heard helicopters circling them overhead, lights glaring down on the two, cameras rolling.

Staring into Mongul's eyes, Kal noticed the dead look, the lack of arrogance that had shined there in their previous encounter. "What happened to you?" He asked quietly.

Mongul didn't speak, instead choosing to rush at Kal, a guttural roar escaping his mouth - reminiscent of the animalistic Nam-Ek. His every step cracked through the ground like eggshells, ruining the White House's lawn.

Kal dodged to the right, away from Mongul's outstretched fist, and spun, slamming his elbow into the brute's exposed stomach. The air quivered upon contact as Mongul was smashed into several trees, tearing them from their roots, body burrowing into the soil.

The brute roared and stood up, fists shaking in rage. He blurred forward and kicked the broken trees at Kal. They shot through the air like bullets but shattered harmlessly once they hit Kal's skin and suit.

The heartbeats of everyone in the vicinity of the White House echoed in Kal's ears, nervously slithering into his mind, warning him.

He had to get Mongul away from the city! The battle of Metropolis with Zod flashed through his mind, the destruction of that event reminding him of how fragile humans were. He could _not_ have a repeat of that day! Mongul must be taken somewhere else!

He didn't get the chance to do so.

Mongul roared and the red beam blasted out of his chest towards Kal at breakneck speeds. Kal's only option was to fire his heat vision, hoping to cancel through Mongul's assault.

For several seconds, the two's blasts fought against one another, struggling to overpower the other. Kal could see the world around them was fiery red, glowing under the power of Kal and Mongul's beams.

" _AUGH!"_ Someone screamed, echoing in Kal's ears. " _The heat!"_

He became distracted, his blast lessening slightly in concern for the citizens and Mongul's beam abruptly surged forward, blasting Kal back hundreds of feet, body tearing through anything in his way mercilessly. He tried to push back, but it was relentless. Once he crashed, he heard several hearts stop and Kal was filled with anger.

Immediately, he blasted out of the debris of cars and metal, eyes blazing. He blurred into Mongul's body hundreds of feet away within the blink of an eye, bones quivering upon contact from Kal's fist.

He smashed his fists into Mongul's face, the air shaking as sonic booms erupted, one after the other. Craters littered through the lawn once Kal stopped and he picked up Mongul, tossing him deep through the White House, into Lex's private room, where he and Pete and Lane were watching.

Mongul crashed through the room, glass shattering as he rolled into the wall. Kal blurred forward, following him. Punches rained upon the fallen foe, shaking the entire White House.

Pete's screams abruptly pierced through the air and Kal froze, remembering the agony matrix.

"I'd think that you let your frustrations out, wouldn't you say?" The screams quieted at Lex's words, "I'm not sure how much more Pete can take. He looks faint, Clark."

Kal slowly stood up, moving away from Mongul's downed form. Slowly, the brute stood up, and with his footsteps shaking the room, positioned himself behind Lex, an ever-present guard dog.

"He may be an alien, Mr. President," Lane said, "but he is as pathetic as a regular man. A true soldier would be willing to sacrifice anyone for the betterment of our great nation."

"And what kind of soldier are you, General Lane?" Kal challenged, fists clenched. "You're not worthy, not even a little. You're just a grief-filled man who can't think logically any longer."

Lane's eyes exploded with fierce hatred, "You think you're so much better than me, Cain? Fuck you! And fuck Wonder Woman, too! You are both detestable aliens who don't belong on this planet."

Kal shook his head sadly, "It is you - with your fierce, uncalled-for words and actions - who doesn't belong in society, General Lane."

"That's enough," Lex cut through the argument. "I have waited for this moment a long time."

"What is it you want, Lex?" Kal asked brokenly and tiredly, grief-filled. "Just, please _,_ release Pete. He has nothing to do with this." He took a forceful step forward.

Lex calmly raised his hands in a mockful gesture of surrender, "What are you going to now, Clark? Kill me? Would you really harm the President of the United States?"

Kal's eyes clouded with sadness, "If I have to, yes."

His old friend looked delighted, "How perfect this is, this revelation of truth that I've shown you, Clark. You've finally begun to see, haven't you?"

"Let Pete go, now," he said seriously, finally fed up with Lex's games.

Lex suddenly startled him as his eyes shone with triumph, "The false god has bent to my will. I've broken him, but what he feels is nothing compared to what he soon will." He said gleefully, turning to the General. "General Lane, you know what to do. The time has come for the truly satisfying part to begin."

"Yes, sir, Mr. President," Lane then left the room, and to Kal's shock, Mongul followed him like an obedient puppy.

As soon as Mongul fully exited the room, Kal blurred at Pete at in less than the blink of a human eyelid, he removed the agony matrix and used his heat vision to cauterize the wound.

No surprise was visible in Lex's face, "Did you truly think that Pete was my only contingency plan, Clark?" A bark of laughter escaped the President, "You really do tend to suppress using your intelligence, don't you, Cain?"

Kal ignored Lex and scanned the White House, "Pete, you're clear to leave through the passage that is still open. General Lane rounded up all of the soldiers and they left with him - and Mongul, too."

"Clark, Lex is going to-"

Kal cut him off, "I'll learn it from Lex, Pete. I need you out of here. For all we know, Lex lied to you. He's gotten quite good at that."

Pete swallowed and stumbled to the door, "Just, be careful, Clark. Lex is the dastardly wolf in sheep's clothing."

"Aww. I'm touched, Pete. Well, he's not wrong," Lex laughed and looked to the ceiling, humming merrily as Pete scurried out of the building, Kal's eyes following him until his friend reached the end of the passage.

"I'm very disappointed in you, Lex, so very disappointed," he finally infused a threat and warning into his tone, showing how hopeless his old friend's machinations truly were. "I have walked across the surface of the sun. I have witnessed events so tiny and so fast that they could hardly be said to have occurred at all. I have seen the atoms in the air, tiny floating particles that you couldn't even comprehend. I have battled so-called gods and destroyed them, my power a fierce onslaught that no one could match. Even right now, I could look up and my eyes could watch the other lifeforms in the universe, view their culture and actions, and I could eradicate them if I ever, heavens forbid, wanted to. Gravity doesn't apply to me unless I allow it; space-time bends to my will, but I still permit it to touch me. But you, Lex, you're just a man, a man who I recently learned had Celestial blood, but you're still human, and your limitations are defined and can't be breached. The world's smartest man poses no more threat to me than does its smartest insect." He noticed Lex pull out a phone and he frowned, "What's that? Another ultimate weapon designed to destroy me?"

The President tried to smirk, but Kal could easily glimpse the trepidation in his eyes. "Yes, you could say that,"

"And before your fingers would even twitch, before your eyes and brain would even process my movements, I could throw it into the sun. I can do things that you can't even imagine, Lex, so stop this madness. It is unbecoming for one as brilliant as you."

"If you can do anything, then why don't you just kill me, Superman? You killed the last surviving member of Krypton save for yourself, so I should be an easy sheep to slaughter. What are you waiting for, Cain? Do it."

"Do you remember, when we were all younger and happy, the time when the three of us had traveled with mom and dad to the lake?" Kal suddenly asked softly, the words floating in the air, displaying happier times, better times when both of them had loved one another as brothers, "It was right after your second-aunt had died. Mom and dad took you in and you lived with us until you left during our sophomore year. We were all at the lake, and we created our own jet ski."

Lex's face slowly smoothed out, revealing the true Lex, the man whom Kal had thought of as his brother - and J'onn, too. That man was still in there, in the man who had stolen Lex's face _._

His old friend stepped closer, "Yeah, we destroyed the entire dock," he whispered, eyes hazy in remembrance. A blankness, an emptiness was carved into his features, "We spent the summer fixing it, building a new one."

Kal nodded, "That was a good memory, one of the best. That's why I can't... kill you, even if I wanted to."

"It's a memory from another life," Lex murmured and looked up at him. "But that life is gone, and we can't go back. It's too late," the sadness coloring his old friend's tone caught Kal's attention.

He lowered his head, "I miss the people we were then. I miss those happy memories. I yearn for them again with everything I have. I wish that I could experience them just one more time." Kal said quietly, grieving as he knew that it was impossible to go back and fix his mistakes, to return to what and who they once were. He could change almost anything, but time was out of his grasp as far as he knew, and to change human nature was impossible; he could see that now as he could hear chants for his death across the country whilst others fiercely defended him, but hate for those who shared a different viewpoint boiled through everyone, no matter who they were.

Lex was right. It was simply… too late to change anything.

He heard Lex swallow. "Me too, Clark," he saw a single tear roll down Lex's cheek and then his old friend changed. The madness took over and the once-smooth face rippled, hate carved deep into flesh. Dark eyes bulged out of their sockets and became frosty, smoldering with the intensity of their unholy rage. A malicious smile curved the sides of Lex's mouth, "Now, your reckoning has arrived, Cain, and Abel will have his vengeance."

Kal shook his head, "No! Lex, I know that there is still good in you. You just showed me!" He beseeched uselessly, staring into his old friend's cold eyes.

Lex's cheeks scrunched up and his lips pursed, breathing deeply, and he lurched forward, a large glob of spit splashing into Kal's face. "No, Cain, you must suffer; you don't deserve my forgiveness - and neither does J'onn. My retribution is finally at its climax after so long; it's practically been an eternity of waiting, and it will be glorious. What have your schoolboy heroics done for you? They've done nothing except bring more chaos to this world, a cruel joke that could destroy humanity - your existence is redundant and I will fix the mistake of your alien parents."

Kal grimly wiped the spit away and clenched his fists, realizing the inevitable. Lex must be stopped by any means necessary, "What did you do, Lex?" He began to scan the entire White House, looking for any other hostages held in death's grip itself as Pete had been. "Who else have you kidnapped?"

"Me?" Lex chuckled darkly, eyes alight with lunacy. "No, I didn't kidnap anyone. Well, except Pete. But there is someone whom you will fight, fight, fight to save a person whom you love. You, Cain, have a date… across the bay of Metropolis!"

"What have you done, Lex?" Kal asked dangerously, feeling the waves of panic in his mind lash out, warning him.

Lex beamed at him, a maniacal smile splitting his face, "Batman's hatred of you is well-known to those who know what to look for, Cain _._ His loathing is lush and ripe, over two years grown, groomed you could say as it was prepared by my machinations. About now _,_ one of my minions should be manipulating him over the edge if he wasn't already, once we are finished here, you will fly to him, and you will battle him to the death."

Kal felt the urge to scoff, and felt his features ripple with disbelief, with disgust, "You think that I'll fight him for you?"

"No," Lex shook his head, hands clasped behind his back, eyes cold, "Cain, if I have learned anything, it was that you and J'onn don't care about me, you never did. No, you see, I know that you will battle the Bat if you want to save one of the only people in this world whom you truly care about."

"Pete's safe and away from your clutches, Lex." Kal was beginning to grow very angry, and it reminded him of his battle against the Celestials, of the rage that had been unleashed during his encounter. "How about you?" He asked darkly.

The President of the United States laughed loudly, "Close, Cain, but I wasn't talking about Pete; his role has already been completed." Kal suddenly heard a buzzing sound and watched Lex beam with pure euphoria, "Perfect timing!" His old friend exclaimed and swiftly pulled out a sleek phone, "No, Clark, even if they're an unwanted alien, every man's person whom they care for most is their… mate, their future wife." Lex raised his brows mockingly, "You were planning to… propose to Diana, weren't you?"

Silence. Lights. Agony.

Intense and unrelenting waves of panic flashed through his mind as he comprehended what Lex's plan was all along, the endgame that he should have realized earlier! The utter despair that flooded his soul was numbing, frigid even. How could he have not seen it? How had he missed them? Where were the signs? What about Diana? Was she safe? Did Lex kidnap her somehow? Had… Ares and the other Celestials killed her?

His confidence that Diana and Wally would be able to triumph over the Celestials evaporated like a summer's snow and Kal's hearing went haywire; everything assaulting his mind as he heard the entire world. Sirens, screams, laughter, beeps, wings flapping, jets taking off the runway, cars honking, soda cans opening, sneezes, coughs, humans breathing all over the planet, televisions screeching, and so much noise that he could scarcely recall everything that he heard, but he knew that if he truly wanted to, he could name everything.

Suddenly, he tried to focus on Diana's heartbeat, focusing on Mount Everest, but he couldn't hear her. Everything in Olympus was silent! His lover was gone, his world! She was dead! He staggered towards Lex, about to claw at the President's eyes, but stopped short when Lex happily flipped the phone in his direction, revealing the screen.

Diana was beaten and cuffed to a wall, blood streaming out of many wounds while Wally lay unconscious next to her, his legs broken, bones brutally piercing skin and suit, but both of their chests heaved with the struggle of breathing - they were alive! Ares loomed over them, towering over their broken bodies, eyes filled with lust and sadism.

It was too much! Kal was no longer able to ward it off! It was as if the gravity of the entire planet had abruptly been compressed and forced upon his shoulders with an indefinite, indescribable weight. Kal fell to his knees in absolute agony, beginning to shake in realization, shivering even. They were clearly alive, but where were they? He had to save them from Ares! His hearing enveloped all of Earth, desperately seeking out the heartbeats of his lover and Wally West, but they were gone.

On the planet of Earth, Wally West and Diana Prince ceased to exist.

"Now you see, Clark. Your dear friend, the Flash is close to death and Diana - …well, I think that I'll just keep that one to myself."

For the first time in his life that he could ever remember, Kal's soul was filled with hatred. It roared, thrashing through his blood, howling in demand for life to be taken. It eclipsed the dark emotions that he had experienced during his battles with Hercules and Apollo and Ares by a significant margin. He dimly wondered if this was what Zod had felt towards him after Kal had chosen the humans over Krypton, and despite himself, he felt an understanding towards his father's murderer if that was the case.

His body shook mightily and he snapped his glowing red eyes towards Lex Luthor, "WHERE IS SHE?" He roared, shattering stone, warping metal, and forcing the President back from the sheer force of his scream, shaking the entire White House.

Lex's eyes were wide with derangement, with glee, and with fear. "I don't know!" He exclaimed, "I wouldn't let Ares tell me!" Kal's eyes glowed brighter, shining more brilliant than any sun, each eye pulsing like a heartbeat with absolute power. Lex backed away, finger wagging at him, "No, no, no! If you kill me, Diana dies, and so too does your precious teammate, the Flash! And if you fly away to anywhere except Gotham, they both die! But, if you bring me the head of the Bat, Wonder Woman and Wally West live." Lex smiled fearfully and glanced at the phone, "Ares says, 'To give you extra motivation, Kryptonian, if Batman's head isn't presented to my nephew in one hour, I will happily rape your precious lover.' And don't get any ideas, Cain. My heart is hooked to a device that Ares has; if my heart stops, he will know and rape your future wife."

Kal gasped out, closing his eyes as he knew that he was beaten. One last time, already knowing that it would be pointless, he stretched his hearing, bypassing all the boundaries that he had ever self-imposed, searching for his lover's heartbeat. He could hear everything on planet Earth, but he couldn't hear Diana's heartbeat or her breathing.

She was gone.

Lex clapped his hands together, and reached out, skimming Kal's cheek, "There we go, there we go. Now, the cameras will be waiting, televising the fight. The world will once again see the holes in the holy. Yes, the all-mighty finally confesses his crimes when it counts. To save his lover and friend, Superman would murder! How's that for the world's smartest insect, Cain?" Lex glanced at his watch, "Son of a bitch - would you look at the time. When I showed you the picture, you had an hour or Diana would be raped. Now, it's less. _"_

Kal stood up slowly, scowling at his former friend. "I had once thought that I could reach the 'good' inside you, but I can now clearly see that I had only deluded myself. You aren't Lex Luthor, my friend from adolescence. You're just someone who wears his face, a monstrous imposter."

"Cain, wasting time, wasting time." Lex hummed in derision, "I guess you really don't care about anyone. If you like, I could move Diana's rape forward, have you watch it happen right now since you, apparently, don't care?"

Kal's fists clenched, shaking against his thighs, and glared hatefully at the President of the United States, "I am many things, Lex, but now, I am your enemy. I have always felt like I live in a world made of… eggshells, always taking constant care not to break something, to break someone _._ The moment when Diana and Wally and Pete and everybody who I care about are safe, I will break you, old friend. I've had enough. Do you remember what dad told us when you asked him about his views on the criminal justice system? He said that men get arrested and that animals get put down." Kal's eyes flashed pure crimson and he swiftly snagged Lex by the throat, hoisting him in the air, gripping hard enough to harshly bruise a human. "You're not even an animal, Lex. You're a monster, and I will put you down." His eyes glowed brighter, hotter, blinding the room and he unceremoniously dropped Luthor on the ground.

Then, the Son of Krypton swiftly exploded off the ground, tearing through the White House, flying towards Gotham, but not before he had seen the emotions on Lex Luthor's face.

Anger. Fear. Regret.

XxXxXxXxXxX

The area was dark, unrelenting with the biting chill that could freeze blood, but that wasn't a problem for Orm. He was an Atlantean, borne of the Royal Family. His eyes could easily see through pure darkness, his skin and body were immune to the frigid depths of the ocean. The immense pressure from the depths of his location wasn't a problem, as if it was only a blanket wrapped around him.

Darting through the currents, he calmly, even eagerly approached his half-brother's throne room. The moment had finally arrived, the moment that he had dreamt about for years. Curry would die and the Trident and throne would belong to Orm after having been set aside countless times.

He arrived at the intricate, enscripted doors and felt triumph spread through him. He was to be King! Ever since Orm had allied himself with Lex Luthor, he had learnt the ways of playing the long game. Only by utilizing the crucial hate that flowed in his heart, warping that into patience, would he be able to succeed in his goals.

Through his patience, Orm had been able to amass almost half of Atlantis to his side, convincing them that _he_ was the true heir instead of Curry. It was very easy. The fact that his half-brother carried the blood of a surface-dweller was instrumental in his machinations. Most, if not all, of Atlantis loathed the humans above the ocean.

They had eagerly joined his faction, desiring a King who had pure Atlantean blood. He was going to succeed! Because of Orm's success with locating the Kryptonite nuggets, Lex Luthor had provided him with _strong_ weapons, explosives that could kill Atlanteans, and, most importantly, his support when Atlantis rejoined the world. The President would happily welcome the Atlantean species to Earth, not batting an eye when Orm slaughtered off entire countries of humans, paving the way to trueimmortality as Luthor had promised.

It was going to be glorious!

His eyes sharpened as he yanked the doors open and smiled when he saw that the court was in session. Perfect. Orm's gaze connected with those loyal to him and he nodded slightly, reassuring them that the plan was still in motion. He slowly approached his future throne and felt the pleasant crunch of sand beneath his feet, fortifying his resolve to begin his usurpation of _Curry._

Couriers parted and Orm slipped through, meeting his half-brother's narrowed gaze. The resemblance Curry held to their father was prominent, rage-inducing.

Towering over most Atlanteans, Curry was muscular and well-proportioned, alarmingly similar to the ancient statues of the first Atlantean King. Like their father, Curry's hair was a dark brown, tumbling past his shoulders. His intense ocean-blue eyes were alert, actively roaming. His eyes were like the ocean itself, roiling with power. His half-brother had strong cheekbones and full lips, body broad enough to support his chiseled features.

Whereas, Orm himself was of average height with lithe, sinewy limbs. Rather than having the ocean-like eyes that were known in the Royal Family, his eyes were burnished charcoal, set deeply in his long, oval face. His own hair was streaked with white, close-trimmed to his head. His nose was prominent, and he had heard some women say it was in pleasing proportion to his eyes. He possessed a strong, block-like chin, but his jaw wasn't. His lips were thin, barely visible at all beneath his aquiline nose.

Swiftly, silence encompassed the throne room and a dark smile twisted across Orm's thin lips. Orm saw Curry's fingers wrap around the Trident, flesh angrily rubbing against metal in frustration. Mera soothingly placed a hand on her husband's clenched fist and Orm growled inwardly.

"What is it you want, Orm?" His half-brother's words floated in the ears of everyone, foreboding beginning to taint them, "Why have you come here?"

He refused to dabble in pointless chivalries that would only prolong the inevitable. Orm's lips twitched, "Why to kill you, of course, dear _half-brother!"_ He swiftly drew his weapon, a sidearm designed by Luthor that could easily tear through Atlantean flesh.

Curry's eyes widened and he rose to his feet, "Orm!" He cried out and then chaos exploded through the throne room like a plague.

Guards all drew their weapons and tried to approach Orm, only for him to open fire, easily killing most of them with the aid of his powerful weapon. He instinctively moved to the side as the Trident whizzed past him, feeling his cheek grazed. He rolled to the side, avoiding one of the guards blades and smashed his gun into the sword, smirking at the sound of metal being bent.

"I would have words with you, brother!" Curry shouted and called the Trident back to him, the weapon obeying its summon as if it were alive. "Once this rebellion is squashed, you will answer to me!"

Orm laughed and fired several shots, killing any who dared to approach him, "Fine! But let me tell you something, _brother:_ once I kill you, I will desecrate your name, taking Mera as my wife and siring the next generation of Atlantis' Royal Family!" He grinned lasciviously, dark eyes darting towards Mera who was aligned by her husband.

Curry's eyes grew large, rage coloring their depths, "You've just lived your last day, Orm!" He roared, leaping forward, Trident glowing with built-up power.

Orm surprised his half-brother by stepping forward, firing several blasts towards Curry. He was unsurprised when the pretender simply blocked them with the Trident, making it look effortless. "You stole my place, _Curry!"_ Orm spat, narrowly avoiding an intense bolt of energy blasted from the prongs of the Trident, "You arrogant, oafish brute!I was born to be the King of Atlantis! You had no right to usurp my throne!"

"He had every right, Orm!" Mera snarled, "He's the firstborn!"

"Shut your mouth, whore!" Orm sneered, firing his weapon at her, irritated when Curry swatted the blasts aside with the Trident, advancing forward, eyes blazing with fury.

Orm suddenly tossed several explosives towards them, shielding his eyes from theintense detonation. All battles ceased as eyes worriedly observed the spot where Curry and Mera had previously been.

Suddenly, Orm cried out in pain when the Trident blurred through water, tearing into his shoulder. He fell to his knees as bolts of lightning ravaged through his torn flesh, scorching his innards.

Curry and Mera appeared unharmed. The Trident had protected them, "It did not need to be this way, brother." His half-brother stared down at him sadly, "I wish that I could forgive you for this slight, but… I cannot." Curry twitched his fingers and the Trident wrenched itself out of Orm's shoulder, landing in his half-brother's open hand.

A dark laugh echoed through the throne room as all eyes warily gazed upon Orm. Countless bodies surrounded him in a circle as all of the remaining guards hesitantly approached. Orm raised his head, eyes maniacally gleaming. "Did you truly think that I would lose this easily? No, _brother,_ you don't realize it yet, but I've just won. It was you yourself who made it a reality!"

"What are you talking about, traitor?" Mera demanded, eyes alight with contempt, "What did you do?"

Orm slowly stood up, shoulder wound slowly beginning to heal, "I have waited an eternity for this: to crush you with my bare hands, to feel your life fade away in response to my power-enriched hands wrapping around your throat."

"What have you done, brother?" Curry began to look nervous, as if he was just beginning to realize that there was more to this mutiny than first glance.

Orm smirked, noticing that it put everyone on edge, "I have amassed half of Atlantis to my faction, dear _half-brother._ I was able to provoke their too-long dormant loyalty for full-blooded royals, the only Prince whom they had rightfully served in this generation. It was me who was Prince over your subjects as I grew up. They know my name, they have always known. All their hopes had laid on my shoulders, but you took those hopes from them! And they realized that only I could right the wrongs that you, our father, and our uncle inflicted upon them. They were able to see the truth, able to recognize the true and rightfulKing of our species."

"Then they're delusional!" Mera spat, "You're a pathetic waste of Atlantean flesh, Orm."

"Those who rise against me will be dealt with just as you have, brother." Curry clenched the Trident, "There is nothing that you can do to escape. You're surrounded by over a hundred of my _loyal_ subjects."

Orm chuckled, "You weren't raised as one of us, _surface-dweller_." He noticed that some of the subjects met his gaze with utter hatred and he knew that he would enjoy killing them almost as much as his brother, "Our father taught you nothing of our civilization, of its grand and majestic lore, nothing about the history of your lineage, Curry. Instead, you were raised with _them._ You are unworthy to bear the blood of our father. …You don't even know how to fully use the Trident, the weapon of Kings, to its grand potential. Whereas, I do _._ All I had needed was for its prongs to bathe in my blood, which you had just caused, Curry, only moments ago." Orm abruptly snapped his hand outward towards his half-brother, focusing on the Trident with absolute concentration and effort, "Come to your new and rightful master, and let us smite my _half-brother_ , for there will be none stronger than me now!"

Curry gasped, along with Mera and dozens of subjects, as the Trident abruptly shook in his hand jarringly, wrenching itself forward, escaping out of his grasp, and flew into Orm's awaiting hand, "That's- …it's not possible. It alone should answer to my summons." Curry's eyes were wide with disbelief, with fear _._

"My dearest _half-brother,_ you have no idea what's possible because you were raised as one of _them_." Orm hissed, feeling the rush of power fill his body, eliciting unimaginable pleasure. He slammed the butt of the Trident into the floor and concentrated, the words of every tome he had read as a child echoing in his mind. Quickly, before Curry or any guard and servant could react, the ocean responded, wrapping everyone in bubbles of no water.

Atlanteans, as a species, were unable to survive without water after several hours. Now, he had each of them trapped in a bubble of air, "I've read about this weapon, studied it," he said aloud, staring at the beautiful golden Trident, feeling the excitement about to burst from his soul. His father's promises from his childhood, his reassurances that Orm would wield the Trident filled his mind, and he wished that he could orchestrate the death of his father again, the callous liar. "Since I was a boy, Curry, I have memorized every detail about this weapon. What did you do to be worthy of such a powerful weapon, a weapon of Kings? _Nothing!"_ His face contorted into a mass of malignant hatred, "You did nothing and were rewarded, but the currents of fate have changed their course, and now it is me who has been awarded the Trident, rewarded for my patience."

Mera screamed in outrage, the furious words reaching his ears even though an air bubble trapped her. "You're insane!"

"No, no, I'm not, Mera. You simply fail to respond correctly to words of truth. Once I'm finished in here, Atlantis will be under my rule and they will be thankful _._ I will lead us into a new era, drowning the _surface-dwellers_ with their own tears as I destroy their cities, gaining immortality in the process." He suddenly threw the Trident through the head of a guard and mentally commanded the weapon to continue its path of blood and death, killing everyone in the room except Mera, Curry, and himself.

The ocean was stained red.

He released them from their bubbles and swiftly attacked, swiping Mera's face as she screamed in pain, flying backward as Orm kicked her in the chest. He gripped Curry by the throat, and slammed him to the ground, "Oh, I'm going to enjoy this, dearest _half-brother._ " He whispered and began beating Curry, fists smashing into flesh relentlessly, blood beginning to poison the water even further.

"Get away from him!" Mera screeched and jumped at him, clawing at his face, "Orin!" She cried out, "Get up!"

Orm gripped her hair and flipped her onto the floor, foot planted over her throat, digging into skin, "You should worry more about yourself, whore _,_ and the memories that will haunt you once I'm finished." He jabbed the butt of the Trident into the side of her skull, dazing her.

"Orm, please stop," Curry whispered, blood dripping from his lips, "Don't do it…"

Orm laughed and brutally drove the Trident through his _half-brother's_ stomach with a satisfying _squelch._ "You're a fool, Curry. You aren't worthy to carry our father's blood, the blood of Atlantis' Royal line, in your surface-dweller _-_ polluted body. I'm going to rectify his mistake and kill you, taking your wife as my whore _._ Prepare for oblivion, _brother."_ Orm brutally tore the Trident out of Curry's abdomen and basked in the agonized scream that both Mera and his brother gifted him with. He kicked Mera in the face when she tried to attack him in a futile attempt to prolong her husband's life, and Orm picked up Curry by the throat, staring into his pained eyes. "Now, nobody can stand in my way, ruining my plans as you have these past years."

With the Trident in his other hand, he opened his mind, connecting with a White Shark. Within seconds, the aquatic animal crashed into the throne room with a bellow of animalistic fury, sharp teeth tearing into Curry's exposed back, blood staining the water a dark red _._

Mera screamed and Orm commanded the shark to guard her, smacking her in the face with its tail, "Shut up, whore, or you will experience what your husband did!" He drifted closer to his half-brotheruntil several yards separated them. Pain and weariness were carved into Curry's features, death imminently approaching.

Good.

Orm committed the sight to memory and smirked. "May death be more merciful than me, _Curry_." He lurched his shoulder backward and swung the Trident towards his _half-brother_ like a bat. Immediately, the ocean responded in a roar of power and Curry was shot out like a canon, blurring through Atlantis, towards the surface. Orm beamed and focused his power. He raised the Trident, and with the location of his brother's hurdling form in his mind, fired a beautiful, sizzling bolt of lightning towards Curry's streaking form. He dimly heard Mera sob in despair, but he paid her no mind. His senses, with the Trident in his possession, were heightened greatly. He could feel Curry's body get smashed by the lightning, until he could feel it no longer.

Arthur Curry had soared out of the ocean, and probably landed on an uninhabited island, finding his final resting place.

Orin, the firstborn son of their father, was finally slain by Orm's hands!

He smiled darkly in victory, cherishing the euphoric emotions rushing through his heart. He was King! Mera would be his whore! And most importantly, his arrogant, oafish brute of a half-brother was dead.

Just like he had always known, Orm would rule over his people, and with the help of Lex Luthor, he would achieve immortality, elevating Atlantis' position in the universe.

"Mera, you no longer need to cry." He jeered, stepping towards her sprawled, weeping form. He ordered the shark away, "You needn't worry because now, you will have a true Atlantean in your bed."

She glared up at him with such hatredthat Orm was impressed, feeling the blood swiftly rush to his groin at the arousing sight, "Orin is far kinder than you could ever be!"

Orm raised an eyebrow, looming over her, "And what did that kindness do for, Curry? It did nothing."He smiled and reached out, gripping her face, "I will show you what true pleasure is, Mera."

"No! I'm going to kill you!" She screeched, attempting to scratch his face, but Orm simply moved the Trident, snapping it against her fingers. A resounding _crack_ echoed through the throne room and Mera hissed as she held her broken fingers to her bosom.

"You will love me." Orm purred, "You will either accept it and be my wife and bear my children, or I will force you to." He focused, and with the power of the Trident, grasped the water in her body, controlling her like a puppet. Her arms arched painfully, limbs bending unnaturally."Would you rather feel like a willing participant or a slave, Mera? I don't care which you choose. I'll spill my seed in you no matter your decision." He began to boil her very blood, causing unimaginable pain.

Tears spilled out of her beautiful eyes, staining her soft cheeks. "You _bastard!"_ She screamed, body still arched painfully. Then after several more moments, harsh and bitter tears fell out of her eyes even further. Orm smiled. Mera had chosen her path. "Okay, I'll…" she broke off in a great gasp and refused to finish her oath; instead, her eyes ignited with ire and a determined glint shone. "I will never marry you! I would rather die!"

"You will regret this path, my dear." He increased the pressure in her blood, causing cells to burst and agonizing shrieks echoed. "I will make you regret it!" He roared hammered his fist into the side of her face, feeling cheeks cave in and it spurred him on.

Eventually, he let go of the Trident, releasing Mera from its hold, and she lashed out but Orm easily dealt with her, pounding his fists relentlessly until she stopped fighting.

"Good, _good._ " Orm grinned lavishly and gripped her bruised face. She was slumped down in defeat, pain-filled eyes staring at her sprawled legs. "Let's consummate our union, shall we?" He grabbed ahold of the Trident, wary that Mera might attempt something, and urgently stripped out of his armor, leaving himself completely bare, manhood proudly becoming more erect.

Mera shuddered, "Orm, _please_ don't do this!" She beseeched desperately, her swollen face begging him, but he was unmoved by her displays of fear. "No! _No!"_

Orm shook his head, orbs gleaming darkly in the murky depths of the ocean, "Strip," he commanded, eyes daring her to protest or disobey him.

Mera's eyes flashed with fear, with hate, but to his surprise, they quickly clouded, a vacant glow settling in her depths. She silently, robotically stripped before him and Orm felt his manhood twitch excitedly at the beautiful sight.

Ever since Mera had married Curry right after his half-brother had claimed the throne, Orm had desired her. She had a fierce temper that he had yearned to break, to make her passions yield to him. Now, his demented dreams were becoming his reality, and he would always remind Mera of what had happened on this day.

 **XxX(Mature Content!)XxX**

He gazed at her lovely form, imagining the things that he would do to her. Mera had the fullness of any fine female specimen and he imagined spilling his seed into her heavenly body as he fucked her into oblivion. His eyes were drawn to Mera's bruised and bloody lips. Would she moan his name like she undoubtedly had Curry's?

Something dark within Orm's body pulsed in rage at the thought of his half-brother bedding Mera. He would have to rectify the memories that she was undoubtedly holding onto about Curry, replacing them with memories of _Orm._ He smirked darkly and saw Mera swallow, fear carved into her features despite her best efforts to conceal it. He reached out and cupped one of her breasts, gripping it harshly, sinking his fingers into the soft flesh. Mera's breath hitched and tears shined in her eyes, spilling down her cheeks. The memory of her drastic change in temperament from earlier warned him to use the Trident or she would likely try to kill him during his most vulnerable moment.

Using the mighty weapon, he grasped control of her blood again and Orm's voice became husky with lust, "Oh, I'm going to enjoy this, Mera. I've desired you for some time now." He brutally snared her bloody lips in a kiss and his tongue invaded her mouth, forcing her own tongue to retreat. She struggled and tried to pull away, but Orm wouldn't let her - the Trident made certain of it.

She needed to learn her place.

He pulled back and shoved her to the ground and he quickly positioned himself at her entrance, growling when he noticed that Mera had closed her eyes, scrunching them shut tightly, undoubtedly trying to enter a meditative state.

Orm harshly smacked her in the face, drawing more blood, "Look at me!" He roared, refusing to let her drift off and fantasize about _Curry_ during their union! When her eyes stayed shut, he roughly placed the butt of the Trident on her forehead. With the aid of the weapon, he forced her eyes to stay open, staring up at him by controlling the blood around her eyes.

Her luscious, red hair was cascaded down her back in deep waves, and Orm gripped her face, physically keeping it from tilting away as she struggled against the Trident's hold. With no warning, he sunk into her moist center. He groaned and began to thrust into her wildly, forcefully keeping her eyes connected to his own _._

The throne room was filled with the sounds of his intense fucking, feeding Orm's frenzy like a ravenous shark. It was better than he had imagined and the echo of wet skin slapping against each other as he bucked into her with utter abandon was unforgettable.

He felt it begin to coil, warning him that he was so close to ejaculating. He lost any resemblance of control that he had had, and thrust mightily into her heavenly body. Only seconds later, he jerked sporadically as he poured himself into Mera's womb, his seed spilling out of him in a blur of pleasure.

He panted and pulled himself out of Mera's beaten and bruised body with a squelching sound. Looking down at her, he smirked in triumph, "The next generation of the Atlantean Royal Family has begun. You will bear strong children, Mera, my children." He purred and saw through her eyes that he had broken her. Now, she would never attempt to rebel or disobey him.

 **XxX(Mature Content Over)XxX**

Orm had won. He had finally won after years of losing.

XxXxXxXxXxX

His vision was blurry as his hands grasped the pockets in his suit, grabbing a hold of his phone drunkenly. It buzzed and he pulled it to his ear. _"Ex nihilo nihil fit,"_ an old, weary voice said.

Lex's eyes tunneled and he pulled himself together as best he could, refusing to acknowledge that his hands were shaking. "Ex nihilo nihil fit, nothing comes from nothing." He whispered, trying to adjust to the change, "Are your days comfortable?" He coughed, bringing up his other hand to gingerly rub his throat.

" _They draw to an end, but they are, of course, made more than tolerable."_ His messenger replied gratefully, as he should.

"Good… And the Bat?"

" _The gang-members played their part and the facade of a beaten, Nazi-hunting veteran captured the Bat's eye. He is drunk with hate, brimming in it, ready to murder Cain."_

Lex paused, eyes staring at where Clark had just declared him as a monster. He coughed again after a moment, "Witnesses?"

" _All taken care of. The Peep Show continues to be of use for killing scum. The fool met me at the strip club. He admitted it and defended it, just as I knew he would. He was young and idiotic, prone to letting his emotions cloud his judgment. He wanted answers."_

"He didn't need to defend it; it might have been the most intelligent thing he did in his worthless life. Excellent work, my friend. You have been outstanding in my conquest. Truly, youth is wasted on the young."

" _Once your plans come to fruition, that will no longer be a problem."_

That's right. Lex flashed back to his 'meeting' with Jasper Leeland and the critical information that the man had sought to deliver to Cain, to Superman, to Clark. He inhaled and closed his eyes, not understanding what it was he was feeling, exactly. "Yes, yes, yes. Soon, you will feel better than you have in decades, my friend. Do you have a pencil ready?"

" _Yes, Lex."_

"I want you to make certain that the battle between Cain and the Bat and Mongul is on national television, specifically targeting the destruction and reactions of the city of Gotham. Do whatever you need to. Focus on Lane's forces and their inability to even touch Cain. Capture everything that you can and I will take care of the rest."

" _Here to serve."_

Lex hung up the phone and it slipped out of his suddenly numb fingers, smashing atop the broken floor, the sound of glass breaking echoing.

The time had finally come, but why did it feel like unfulfillment rushing through his heart as he stared at the spot that Clark had exploded off of only minutes ago? This was the moment that he had dreamt of for a decade! It was to be his crowning achievement until his plans were implemented, the multitude of ways that he was to save the world.

Instead of euphoria flooding his soul, rage, and something that suspiciously felt like… guilt poisoned his mind, tunneling his eyesight until all that he could see was Clark's declaration that Lex was a monster, and that his old friend would put him down. The glowing red eyes and hand around his throat that scared him more than anything, more than the thought of Lionel's fists and abominations when he had been younger. The utter hate that had condemned him in Clark's divine eyes haunted his heart, confusing Lex.

He was supposed to be happy! He should finally be at peace! Lex shouldn't be having flashes of his younger days at the Kent Farm when he and Clark and J'onn had been family. He shouldn't be feeling remorse for his schemes and actions!

Damn Clark, and damn the emotions that were stuck at the back of his bruised throat, poisoning his heart with weakness _._ Why did his long-dormant loyalty to Clark Kent awaken now? Why was it provoked during the height of his greatest triumph?

Lex stumbled to the ground, pieces of dusted cement staining his expensive cashmere suit, but he didn't care. It wasn't fair! Why did these thoughts and emotions all of sudden hinder him, when for over a decade they hadn't? Why did the lone, silent tear that slipped down his cheek feel like a death sentence for not only himself, but for Clark?

He had never even considered this reaction to be a possibility when he had meticulously thought through everything. How the hell was he supposed to deal with the weakness that afflicted his heart, eliciting guilt, remorse, and sorrow?

For some strange reason, and despite his best efforts to suppress it, Lex began to contemplate schemes in which he would be able to nullify everything that he had planned against Clark, but he knew that it was too late. Any chance that he had had to be reconciled with Clark and J'onn was gone. Deep down, it was what he had yearned for, to reconnect with them, but Lex had already implemented his infallible plans.

It was too late _._

Lex had managed to break his old friend, had managed to push him too far. It was surprising, actually. He had always thought of Clark's will as unshakeable, but now, in spite of his old friend's words about how godlike he truly was, he himself realized that Clark was as human as anyone, maybe more so.

There was nothing that he could do to forestall Clark's inevitable death by the Bat's hands. Lex had already foreseen the outcome in his mind's eye countless times. There was nothing that the Bat could do to truly stop Clark, but that wouldn't be a problem.

Even with the aid of the green nugget, Clark would effortlessly be able to kill the Bat, but he wouldn't. No. His old friend would beseech the Bat to help him save Diana and Pete and Wally West, help him to destroy Lex and Mongul. The Bat would refuse, and brimming with poisonous hatred over his humiliated defeat and other things such as the Joker's escape, would help Mongul to kill Clark while the entire world watched.

Ultimately, Clark was a good person, whereas the Bat and Lex were not.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Diana groggily opened her eyes, pain flashing through her body. She didn't know where she was and what had happened. There was a _weight_ around her wrists and ankles, but that was it. She slowly, achingly glanced at her limbs and panic coursed through her body. She was trapped! She was cuffed to the wall!

Using all of her strength, she lurched forward, but agony scorched through her nerves. Her lips parted and a scream erupted, shaking the room.

"It's useless, Diana, I already tried." Her eyes snapped to the right and to her shock, Wally was propped against the opposite wall, sweat pouring down his red face.

"Wally?" She croaked out, eyes blinking rapidly, "Wally, what happened?"

"I managed to kill Hermes," despite his best efforts, it seemed that Wally was proudful of that fact, "but I was injured and unable to help you fight Artemis, Aphrodite, and _Ares._ You- …they _beat you_ gruesomely. I tried to help even with my injuries, but Artemis snapped my legs." He pointed downward, and for the first time, Diana noticed the bones sticking out of his legs. She gasped as her friend continued, "I blacked out from the pain and the next thing I know is I wake up in here. You've healed a lot since I first woke up." He said shakily, "You looked like death had molested your body like an inexperienced, angry lover. You weren't raped though." His cheeks turned red with rage, "Ares had stopped by and said that he was looking forward to it later - something about having your body look and feel luscious but your spirit beaten _._ Never mind that fucker, Wonder Babe _._ Anyway, I was amazed that you were still alive. From my estimate, we've been locked in here for hours, maybe even days. The passage of time is difficult to pinpoint."

Diana swallowed and licked her dry lips, "What about Kal? Where is he?"

Wally leaned forward in concern, "Clark left to save his partner at the Daily Planet, Pete Ross because Lex Luthor had kidnapped him, remember?"

"Yeah, I do now." She shook her head tiredly, "Has he returned? Is he in a cell like us?"

"I don't know," he said softly, sadly. "I'm sure that I would have felt it if he had returned. Clark would've have destroyed all of Olympus and Mount Everest looking for you."

She smiled slightly, knowing that it was the truth. "Well, we know where we are at - Olympus which is housed inside of Mount Everest. We just need to figure out how to escape from these cuffs and salvage our plan by killing Ares." Her voice darkened and the rage swelled in her heart, tormenting her, gnawing as the words of rape echoed torturously.

"You have much more to figure out, Diana." A soft voice said in the shadows and Diana and Wally tensed. "I mean you both no harm, I promise."

"I'm sure that you won't be offended when I say, stick your promises up your ass." Wally barked, "Why the hell should we believe you? Matter of fact, we can't even see you. You don't sound familiar…" he trailed off as Aphrodite stepped into the light, hovering on the edge of the force-field separating Diana and Wally from freedom.

Diana's eyes widened, " _You!_ What are you doing here? Have you come to torture us, or seduce us into a false sense of hope only for Ares to break it?"

"I have come to help you, granddaughter," Aphrodite said softly, eyes glimmering in the dim light. "I didn't want this, any of it. I had only wanted out from the repressive regime of Zeus and the others. Ares was quite convincing."

"Why now do you seek to 'help me'? You held a blade to my throat when Kal could have finished off Ares!"

Aphrodite sniffed and several tears slid down her cheeks. "I'm weak, Diana, so weak. I've been in his bed for so long that I've become corrupted. It's almost unthinkable for me to raise arms against him. Ares… raped my daughter and is proud of it. He plans to do just that to you, my only granddaughter. And now, I've gained the strength to do this much, rebel against him by aiding you and your mortal friend."

Diana narrowed her eyes, willing to allow Aphrodite the chance to redeem herself, but still extremely wary of a trick. "What is Ares' plan? How has he planned such a long-con against Kal and me? How was he able to coerce the mutiny against Zeus? He doesn't seem like a tactician."

"He's a monstrous brute, is what he is," Wally said darkly, face flushed an angry red.

"Your friend is right," Aphrodite's eyes were brimming with anguish. "Athena was the tactician out of all of us, worshipped by the mortals as the goddess of wisdom. And she definitely earned the title. Zeus decreed many centuries ago that Athena's mind was the greatest in all of creation. Ares has had great help in his deeds, his ability to follow a timetable. He has planned everything with our nephew, Lex Luthor."

" _What?_ Luthor is a Celestial?" Diana asked in disbelief.

Her grandmother nodded, "He is Athena's son, a hybrid, an experiment that succeeded on the wrong side. He inherited all of her brains, but none of her physical power. Luthor's biggest aid to Ares was the creation of the Blade of Olympus, the sword you saw him wielding. Hephaestus had designed it, but thanks to Luthor's contributions, the blade would be able to find the auras of every Celestial brain on Olympus. It was the key to Ares' success over our father, Poseidon, and Hades. Without it, Ares would have _never_ dared to rise against Zeus - and none of our siblings, myself included, would have either. Because of Luthor's invaluable support, his ability to deter Athena from figuring out what he and Ares were concocting, Ares fully allied himself with Luthor, willing to aid Lex Luthor in his quest to murder your Kryptonian, Diana. Along with Luthor, Ares mentioned to me that he has been in contact with someone named 'Orm'."

Wally shrugged, "Never heard of him," he said after realizing that Diana was unable to answer Aphrodite's unspoken question. She was too distraught and angry. How did she fail to see it? She had discarded the potential reality where Lex Luthor and Ares were working together - and what a fool she had been! Because of her stupidity, she and Kal and Wally were being attacked from all angles. She cursed her arrogance! Never again would she dissuade a belief of potential enemies working together. _'The enemy of my enemy is my friend.'_ Oh, how she knew that statement to be true.

"I've lost… my way." Aphrodite whispered, "I have no longer been believing in my domain - it had become corrupt. For too long, for the past several centuries, love hasn't been love. It's been lust _._ "

"So you became lustful," Diana concluded almost sympathetically, finally regaining her speech, remembering Kal's words from earlier about Aphrodite and Ares having sex.

"Yes, and I began a relationship with Ares so many centuries ago I can scarcely recall when it had actually begun. For so long, I've laid in his bed." She said ashamedly, "But you've given me hope again, Diana."

"Me? How?"

"You and your Kryptonian," Aphrodite replied immediately. "You two have the strongest love that I've felt in millennia, perhaps ever _._ Your love is an ocean - relentless and powerful, always persevering over obstacles in its path. It's incredible and everything that I wish I had." She sighed and wiped away a stray tear, "I know that you hate us, and you have every reason to, but there was a time when the Celestial race wasn't… abhorrent. When I was young, around your age, before I had succumbed to Ares' evil, our race was good. We had been on Earth for only a century and we cared for the mortals, always watching over them."

"Despite that, the Celestials need to die." Diana said adamantly, "Look at what they've become! You said so yourself. Look at how far you have fallen. You've willingly laid with Ares for so long that you can't even pinpoint when it began! That 'goodness' you described, I can't imagine it, especially from them! You all stood by and did nothing as my family was killed! Look at what you all did against Zeus! You're all _murderers!"_

"I don't regret our resurgence against Zeus and the others. To me, they deserved it, but standing by and doing _nothing_ while the Amazons were killed without mercy, that was the hardest thing I've had to do the past centuries, Diana. Ares and several others had struck hard and fast, but by then it was too late. Everyone knew who was behind the slaughter, but Zeus ordered that none investigate the matter. I was outraged, but I feared my father's retribution and was cowed into submission. That was the final straw and I joined Ares and our siblings in the overthrow of Zeus. I had cherished the Amazons; they had worshipped me more than any of my kin, and I felt a bond with them, and my own daughter was their Queen."

"That makes no sense!" Diana snapped, "Ares was who killed my people, not Zeus and the others! Why would you join him?"

Aphrodite's smile was sorrowful, "I never said that my actions made sense, granddaughter."

"So, why are you here?" Wally demanded with a sniff. "Are you here to free us?"

"Yes, and to prepare you."

Diana frowned, "For what?"

"You believe that you are trapped in Olympus, correct?" When they both nodded, Aphrodite continued, "Well, that is partially correct. You are in _Olympus Mons_."

Wally's jaw dropped, "On Mars?" He exclaimed.

"Yes. This is our second home, known to _none_. The humans are clever and we feared that they could potentially discover Everest's true purpose. Hephaestus created a portal to Mars and built this place."

"Can we use the portal to travel back to Everest?" Diana asked after overcoming her shock.

"Yes, but you will face problems."

"What problems?"

"The 'brains' of our siblings and cousins from Ares' revolt of Zeus are almost healed and new Avatars will soon appear. You will be outnumbered vastly. Also, Ares' essence is seeped in _war_ itself. He feeds on it, growing stronger with each drop of blood that is spilled." Aphrodite pressed her hand on the barrier and a pink aura soon spread across, overriding the defenses. She stepped into the cell, "You are of my blood, Diana. Love is in your blood. You must use it. Only love can triumph over war."

"Then why don't you defeat Ares?"

"As I've already told you, I could never raise arms against him. I've lain with him for too long. I'm weak, easily able to succumb to Ares' words, and I don't have the fighting skills of you Diana nor am I as strong as you. Zeus' light's essence is reborn within you, placing you on par with, or even above Zeus himself in power." She stepped forward and kneeled next to Diana, a pink aura overpowering the cuffs holding her and Wally to the wall.

Diana slowly stood up, "Thank you, grandmother. Once Ares is dead, the humans will stop being so… hate-filled."

Aphrodite smiled sadly and kissed her forehead gently. Diana felt a rush of power spread through her body, lifting her spirit with its intensity. "I have unlocked the power of love in your blood." She turned towards Wally, noticing his still broken legs. She kneeled next to his body, "Here, allow me," she placed her hands over his legs, a pink aura mending skin, bone, and muscle.

"Tha- thanks," he croaked as he stood up, face flushed.

"I must ask that you kill me, granddaughter."

Diana's eyes widened, "What? No. We can defeat Ares together." Even as she said the words, she knew that was a lie.

Aphrodite's eyes were old, "No, we cannot. I am just as much a part of the Celestials' downfall as Ares and Zeus and Sunorc. It's my time, Diana. The way that I've been living for the past centuries, it … it wasn't living. And for each single day that has passed, I had become more of a shadow of my former self, until nothing more than a deluded slut remained."

She swallowed and stared at her grandmother. "Very well," she summoned a weapon and placed it towards Aphrodite's throat, aiming to sever her head.

"A quick word before you kill me, Diana." Aphrodite suddenly said and Diana nodded, "I pray that you soften your heart about the Celestials, dear granddaughter. Once Ares and Artemis are gone, and all the 'brains' are destroyed, you alone will be the heir to our civilization. You can choose what you wish to do, and I hope that you choose to preserve _it._ "

Diana swallowed and swung her sword.

Wally placed a consoling hand on her shoulder as they watched Aphrodite's headless body disperse in blue sparks. "What are you going to do?"

She wiped away her tears, "I'll do what I must, Wally. I have to."

XxXxXxXxXxX

 **Well, that's all for this one, everyone. I am terribly sorry for the long wait, but life happens and writer's block is a real tall hurdle to get over. Please leave a review and tell me what you thought. I always really appreciate them. Thanks again to all of you who helped me realize that the last chapter had some plot-holes in it, among other things.**

 ****Kal meets with Lex and General Lane, finally grasping so many truths that had eluded him. I will freely admit that the scene is pretty much the** _ **Batman v Superman**_ **tower scene, which I never tire of, between Lex Luthor and Superman, but this one was with my own twists and ideas that I thought would best fit in with this story.**

 **He and Mongul duke it out for only a short period, but Kal is forced to stop when Lex utilizes the agony matrix in Pete. It's the same device that Amanda Waller had used to control Batman for so long. It is also what keeps Mongul compliant. I had struggled with** **how** **Lex could have implanted the agony matrix into Mongul, but got nowhere. No metal on earth could pierce his skin and his physiology was alien, unknown to Lex. It wasn't until I remembered that Mongul had a nose like a human being. I know it might be a stretch to assume that the nasal cavity leads to Mongul's brain, but he's an alien. Their physiology doesn't really fall under human classification, but I did think that since Mongul is so different, why shouldn't his physiology be kind of insane? A human's nasal cavity leads almost straight back towards the throat, so Mongul's leads straight** _ **up**_ **instead. Then, I realized that if that was the case, the agony matrix had a perfect passage for Lex to manipulate.**

 **I used some of Dr. Manhattan's quotes in the movie _Watchmen_ for Kal. They are fantastic quotes and apply to him, too, especially since they are so many shared motifs between the two characters.**

 **Okay, Kal has finally snuffed out the thought that Lex can be redeemed pretty much. His world is spinning out of control because, first, with J'onn practically disowning him, and Pete's life being at stake, and when he discovers that Diana is held captive by Ares, he finally realizes the truth as he sees it: Lex Luthor is a monster and no longer the man whom he had grown up with. Lex has manipulated events in so many devious ways that the general populace in the world, as a result of said aforementioned manipulation, scorns Kal's very existence.**

 ****Orm manages to overthrow Arthur and kill him! Atlantis is now under his heel and Mera, poor Mera has been forced into a marriage with him against her will. He rapes her, intent on the marriage becoming valid because I view Atlantis as having older traditions, such as a marital bed being inspected the night after a marriage for signs of the woman's blood, of her virginity. Orm forced himself upon Mera and spills his seed, sealing the marriage in the eyes of Atlantean Law. By** **no means whatsoever** **do I support Orm's actions by raping Mera; in fact, I condemn it, and I have a glorious, painful death for him planned out. The** **only** **reason why I wrote the scene out that way was that Orm hates his brother and views raping Mera as the greatest revenge that he could ever hold over Arthur. It was really hard to write, but I think that if any scene defines Orm's characterization, it was that one. Also, Atlantis is very similar to old Kingdoms in world history and whoever is King will do whatever he must to secure his reign, and for Orm, that was, unfortunately, taking Mera as his wife, whether she agreed or not. Now, as for why Mera doesn't have her powers, that will be explained later on. (Spoiler Alert: she will gain them, so she will be true to her comic origins.)** **Make no mistake, that scene was incredibly difficult to write; it left my stomach churning. Yes, it was wholly disturbing, that scene, but it's definitely a potential action that Orm would unleash, particularly with Atlantis' culture being based on medieval European powers. (Men took what they want and there are many stories in the world's history of women being raped by powerful men who were monsters.)**

 **I know that there has been much rape talk in the past two chapters, but that's because this part of the story is easily the darkest. To reach the morning light, you must pass through the night and dawn. This is a trilogy story and BvS is the second part to that. The second story in every trilogy is the darkest and where terrible things happen. _The_ _Empire Strikes Back_ is a perfect example of that when Han Solo is frozen in carbonite and Luke is being toyed with by Vader and learns the truth about his father from Vader no less. Plus, Luke gets his hand sliced off, too. _Godfather 2_ is another example of this because Michael Correlone becomes cold and ruthless, reaching power that his father never did but at the cost of everyone who cares for him, pushing aside or killing his family. **

**Also, I consider the Trident to Arthur and Orm as Mjolnir is to Thor and Loki in Marvel. It is the ultimate weapon for an Atlantean. Whoever wields the Trident has complete control over water and the oceans. It's kind of Poseidon-like pretty much. I also consider the Trident to be as coveted and priceless as Mjolnir, but that's just my opinion.**

 **If you haven't noticed, in my story, there is running theme of brothers betraying one another in some way, whether it be physical or emotional: Jor-El and Dru-Zod, who thought of each other as brothers and were in every way that counted except for blood. Kal and J'onn, Kal and Lex, J'onn and Lex, Orm and Arthur, and Arthur's father and uncle.**

 ****Diana and Wally wake up in Olympus Mons on mars! Shoutout to** _ **Shall-Iin**_ **, who came up with that genius idea! Aphrodite appears and reveals more cards on the table, forcing Diana and Wally to confront the truth. The Celestials, the ones who weren't permanently killed when Ares found all of the brains, are awakening from the backlash of dying during the mutiny against Zeus.**

 **I believe that is everything. I hope you all enjoyed it. Things are heating up! Please leave a review and tell me what you thought. I always appreciate them.**

 _ **Stay Safe  
**_ **ButtonPusher**


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